Policy Priorities

  • Easing the COST OF LIVING and Doing Business in California

  • Emphasizing PUBLIC SAFETY for All California Families

  • Tapping into Unparalleled ENERGY Capacity

  • Putting Parents in the Driver’s Seat of their Kids’ EDUCATION AND HEALTHCARE

  • Ensuring that CALIFORNIA ELECTIONS are Fair and Secure

Download America First California Summary

California embodies the pioneering spirit that anything is possible and that ours is a country of boundless hope and opportunity. This is what drove men and women past the Rockies and the Sierra Nevada Mountains, on covered wagons and against all odds, toward this land of milk and honey. The land itself began to represent something unconquerable in the human spirit, something that was uniquely and undeniably American.

Later still, drawn by stories of gold speckling the riverbeds, small towns started to form among old Spanish outposts. Orange groves crept up the coast. Trains and automobiles arrived, and oil derricks began to appear. Earthquakes came, but the brave people of California rebuilt. The cities grew bigger and wider and the freeways broader, and the people, with the horrors of two world wars behind them, sought warmth and the ocean. This time, they were driven by different dreams, but the indomitable American spirit was still at the heart of them.

And yet, at some point in the last 40 years, California lost its way. Unfortunately, burdensome regulations, crippling taxes, high energy costs, and even higher crime rates have become the norm. And sadly, departing businesses and abandoned storefronts now mark what was once the land of plenty. On top of all this, California is now witnessing an increasingly intolerant culture war waged against those who do not subscribe to certain ideologies.

Based on the belief that there is still hope for turning things around, the America First Policy Institute (AFPI), a nonprofit, non-partisan research institute that educates lawmakers and the American public on the policies that put America first, has founded a state chapter in California. Building on AFPI’s America First Agenda, AFPI-California is committed to the renewal of California. By embracing the policies that helped build California’s economy, this state can once again experience a bright new chapter.

Team

Mike Garcia

Chairman, America First California

June Cutter

Executive Director, America First California

Latest

Statement | March 3, 2026

AFPI Celebrates Major SCOTUS Win for Parental Rights

The America First Policy Institute (AFPI) applauds the Supreme Court for signaling its strong support for parental rights in the case of Mirabelli v. Bonta.
Expert Insights | February 23, 2026

Department of Education Finds California in Violation of Parental Access Law

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), signed into law in 1974, prevents schools from releasing sensitive information regarding students to third parties and guarantees the rights of parents to “inspect and review the educational records of their children.”

Op-Ed | February 22, 2026

An America First Year of Results for California

As President Donald Trump prepares to deliver the 2026 State of the Union address on February 24, Americans will look to this annual moment for a clear accounting of the nation’s progress, its remaining challenges, and the path forward. For Californians, that reflection carries particular weight. The strength of the Union is not measured in speeches delivered in Washington, but in the safety of neighborhoods, the resilience of communities, and the economic security families experience every day. “Security” is the great unifying word.
News Release | January 30, 2026

AFPI Governors’ Council Applauds Secretaries McMahon and Bessent for Expanding Education Freedom

The America First Policy Institute (AFPI) Governors’ Council is proud to opt in to the federal education freedom tax credit scholarship. Yesterday, the council sent a letter of appreciation to Secretaries McMahon and Bessent for their support of this groundbreaking program.
Statement | January 7, 2026

One Year Since California Palisades Disaster: State Government Mismanagement Continues

Today marks the one-year anniversary of the tragic Palisades fire in California, which destroyed 23,700 acres and damaged over 6,800 structures. The damage and pain have not ceased as America-last policies continue to harm those in the Golden State. Former CA Congressman Mike Garcia, Chairman of America First California, issued the following statement.

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State Health Policy Issue Brief: Increasing Hospital Price Transparency Compliance in States

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