Bill aims to ban police from notifying feds about immigrants
ASSOCIATED PRESS
President-elect Donald Trump spoke to supporters during a rally in Fayetteville, N.C., on Tuesday.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. >> The leader of the California Senate wants to bar police from sharing information with federal deportation agents about immigrants being released from custody to protect them from President-elect Donald Trump’s plans to boost deportations.
The bill introduced by Democratic Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon would prevent law enforcement from heeding requests by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to be notified when immigrants are being released from local jails. It would also ban federal agents from interviewing inmates for deportation purposes and prohibit immigration enforcement in public schools, hospitals and courthouses.
“I cannot wait and allow federal ICE agents to use state and local dollars, data, personnel, and facilities to help deport the very families who contribute so much to our economy and community,” de Leon said in a statement on Wednesday.
Since Trump’s election, Democratic lawmakers have proposed a series of bills aimed at protecting California’s more than 10 million foreign-born residents.
De Leon’s bill goes to the heart of ICE’s latest effort to get local police to help them take immigrants into custody from jails for deportation.
Immigration agents last year began asking police to notify them when immigrant inmates were slated for release so they could pick them up. The move came after many jurisdictions — including California — started refusing to honor agents’ requests to detain inmates for deportation.
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It also came amid an uproar following last year’s shooting death of Kate Steinle in San Francisco allegedly by a man who had been repeatedly deported and was released by local law enforcement even though immigration agents wanted him for deportation.
California law bans police from detaining immigrants for ICE in some cases, but many jurisdictions refuse to detain anyone for deportation, citing community and legal concerns.
Under de Leon’s bill, police could continue to share information about people’s criminal convictions with ICE. Authorities could also transfer immigrants to ICE provided the agency has a judicial warrant.
Senate Republican leader Jean Fuller, R-Bakersfield, said the proposal needs scrutiny.
“Passions are still high after the last election, and I hope we can all agree to take a deep breath and avoid a rush to introduce legislation like this,” Fuller said in a statement. “We need to support our law enforcement and make sure that the Legislature is not passing bills that would limit their ability to keep all Californians safe. We will carefully consider this proposal to make sure there are no unintended consequences that could put California’s safety in jeopardy.”
State Sen. John Moorlach, a Republican from Costa Mesa, said he’d like de Leon to form a team to work with, not against, the federal government on immigration.
“Collaboration would be a better approach from a leadership standpoint than just trying to poke a stick in the new president’s eye,” he said.
An ICE spokeswoman said the agency does not comment on pending legislation.
29 responses to “Bill aims to ban police from notifying feds about immigrants”
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Immigrants. Legal or illegal? Or both?
AP deliberately leaves off the descriptor “illegal” to give the false impression Trump’s actions are unreasonable. That make this fake news.
I noticed that too!
Obviously it would be illegal immigrants that would be departed. Even the real new turns into fake news or at least contrived. Illegal is illegal whether immigration, drugs, theft etc. etc. Come on commifornia and all the other so called sanctuary cities, lets not turn our country into a lawless society.
departed=deported
Fine. Then NONE of my Federal Tax dollars should go to California. What an absurd attempt by a lawmaker to legitimize Illegal immigration into this country. As if we don’t already have too many around sucking resources from rightful citizens, these morons want to create even more incentives, all in a shameless display of creating more Democrat-leaning voters. I’ve had more than a bellyful of Bleeding Heart liberals for the past 8 long years. Enough is enough!
Agree. Democrats in California will quickly change their tune when Trump cuts off federal funds. It is time to play hard ball with Democrats who could not care less about Federal law.
Ronin006 you failed to also add Republicans in your comment…#MAGA
California, like Hawaii, are HEAVILY Democratic.
They’ll band against the Federal Gov’t to protect the ILLEGALS from being deported.
Cut of Federal Funds !!!
Add Republicans? Why?
IRT Ronin006: Both Democrat AND Republican states defy Federal Laws, not just unique to Democrats…States that have legalized Marijuana and violate Federal law are not exclusive to Democrat States…We should play Hard Ball with both Democrat AND Republican led states is what you meant, right? #MAGA
Cut off funds for any government that chooses to not enforce laws.
Typical reaction from an alt-left California Democratic Senator. I hope this nut Kevin de Leon becomes a victim of a crime himself from an illegal, it’ll serve him right. It would be great if it becomes a criminal law to harbor illegals who commit crimes. I’d love to see nutcase politicians like Leon get kicked out of office and locked up.
I remember him now. He’s the uninformed legislator that claimed a “ghost gun” that had a 30 caliber clip could disperse 30 rounds in half a second. Bahahahahahaha. At least have a clear understanding of what it is you are trying to legislate.
Regarding his illegal immigration stance its clear in this arena too he has no idea what he is trying to legislate.
Federal tax dollars should be withheld from California law enforcement agencies that refuse to cooperate with the federal government on immigration policy and deportation of illegal aliens. Problem solved!
States, counties and cities don’t get to pick and choose which federal laws they will enforce and which ones they won’t.
Do ALL states run by Republicans follow Federal Laws? If your comment applies to BOTH Democratic and Republican states then sounds good…#MAGA
That is not the discussion here. Your diversionary tactics no longer work. The issue is a California Senator is trying to pass a law to make it legal to break the law and with that compromise the safety of our citizens.
Agree.
I’d like to add…..
for the ultimate goal of expanding the Dem/lib base to regain the WH POWER to run…dictate…control your life.
The #1POTUS job is to protect Americans.
January 20 2017 a New America #MAGA
IRT laeboy:
That is sayehatyouthink discussion: “States, counties and cities don’t get to pick and choose which federal laws they will enforce and which ones they won’t.”
Isn’t that what legal marijuana is…a state law making it legal to break federal law…#MAGA
If they’re illegal, then they should either take steps to become “legal” or go back to where they came from. Illegal immigrants aren’t paying federal income taxes and are taxing our economy.
“who contribute so much to our economy and community,” de Leon said”. Then why are they in prison? Geez!
Is the Democratic Manifesto exactly the same as the Communist Manifesto?
Or am I missing something?
Seems to be a good Democrat you have to hate being a good American that follows the Constitution written to ensure equal rights, liberty and the pursuit of happiness by ALL citizens AND the protection thereof.
CloudForest you forgot to also add Republican to your comment…#MAGA
Sorry…your diversionary tactics no longer work. This is a REPUBLICAN run government now.
So Republicans don’t ALSO infringe on the equal rights part of CloudForest comment like the Democrats? So the DEMOCRATS don’t have a say since it is a Republican government now? #MAGA
diversion no longer works
Then why do you keep using it…Isn’t both parties guilty of the things that we accuse Democrats of or Republucans of? #MAGA
Sanctuary cities want to pick and choose which laws to follow.
States are picking to follow Federal Marijuana laws OR not…do you mean pick and choosing like this? #MAGA