Sacramento County officials strengthen California law protecting immigrants

After almost a year-long investigation, Sacramento County supervisors voted to reaffirm their support for California’s sanctuary state law. In a 4-1 vote, board members supported changes to reduce cooperation between the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office and US Immigration Customs and Enforcement, prohibiting the use of county funds or resources to enforce federal immigration law. The vote further solidifies the county’s acknowledgment of Senate Bill 54, also known as the California Values ​​Act. “What it was discovered is that the Sacramento County Sheriff’s was proactively notifying ICE about the release, date and time of detainees that were not SB54 qualified and then effectuating their transfer so that it happened immediately outside the gates,” said Sacramento immigration attorney, Brian Lopez, who is also president of the Cruz-Reynoso Bar Association.An investigation from the Office of the Inspector General found that:SCSO illegally transferred detainees into ICE custody inside jail facilities when not permitted by state lawDiscrepancies were found in data that SCSO reported to the Department of Justice and the arrest reports.Not all detainee transfers to ICE qualified as SB54 eligible. Government Code 7284.6 allows for transfers “if the individual has been convicted within the past five years of a misdemeanor for a crime that is punishable as either a misdemeanor or a felony, or has been convicted within the last 15 years of a felony for any of the offenses enumerated in Government Code 7282.5 (3) (A-AE). “Outside the gate” process was documented in an email from a Supervising Deputy to frontline staff responsible for processing the release of detainees from SCSO jail facilities.Investigators with the Office of Inspector General made several attempts to contact ICE to inquire about questions related to the investigation received but no response. A FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) request is pending to gather available information. District 4 County Supervisor Sue Fro st was the only one to vote against the resolution, saying that she believes the sheriff’s office shouldn’t be micromanaged and doesn’t support either a sanctuary state or county.But Lopez explains that while SB 54 limits the enforcement of federal immigration, the law has exceptions. “There are crimes specifically listed and enumerated which say that if somebody has been convicted of those types of offenses, then it is permissible to transfer that person to ICE,” Lopez said.The resolution means that the Sacramento County board members and the community will oversee actions from the sheriff’s office to ensure that violations are addressed in a timely manner and to avoid future violations.The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office was not available for comment on Friday.

After almost a year-long investigation, Sacramento County supervisors voted to reaffirm their support for California’s sanctuary state law.

In a 4-1 vote, board members supported changes to reduce cooperation between the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office and US Immigration Customs and Enforcement, prohibiting the use of county funds or resources to enforce federal immigration law.

The vote further solidifies the county’s acknowledgment of Senate Bill 54, also known as the California Values ​​Act.

“What it was discovered is that the Sacramento County Sheriff’s was proactively notifying ICE about the release, date and time of detainees that were not SB54 qualified and then effectuating their transfer so that it happened immediately outside the gates,” said Sacramento immigration attorney, Brian Lopez, who is also president of the Cruz-Reynoso Bar Association.

An investigation from the Office of the Inspector General found that:

  • SCSO illegally transferred detainees into ICE custody inside jail facilities when not permitted by state law
  • Discrepancies were found in data that SCSO reported to the Department of Justice and the arrest reports.
  • Not all detainee transfers to ICE qualified as SB54 eligible. Government Code 7284.6 allows for transfers “if the individual has been convicted within the past five years of a misdemeanor for a crime that is punishable as either a misdemeanor or a felony, or has been convicted within the last 15 years of a felony for any of the offenses enumerated in Government Code 7282.5 (3) (A-AE).
  • The SCSO facilitated transfers/ arrests by ICE when not permitted under state law through an “outside the gate” process subsequent to unlawful notifications about the detainees’ release information. This “outside the gate” process was documented in an email from a Supervising Deputy to frontline staff responsible for processing the release of detainees from SCSO jail facilities.
  • Investigators with the Office of Inspector General made several attempts to contact ICE to inquire about questions related to the investigation but received no response. A FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) request is pending to gather available information.

District 4 County Supervisor Sue Frost was the only one to vote against the resolution, saying that she believes the sheriff’s office shouldn’t be micromanaged and doesn’t support either a sanctuary state or county.

But Lopez explains that while SB 54 limits the enforcement of federal immigration, the law has exceptions.

“There are crimes specifically listed and enumerated which say that if somebody has been convicted of those types of offenses, then it is permissible to transfer that person to ICE,” Lopez said.

The resolution means that the Sacramento County board members and the community will oversee actions from the sheriff’s office to ensure that violations are addressed in a timely manner and to avoid future violations.

The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office was not available for comment on Friday.

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