In Revolt of California Sanctuary Law, O.C. Sheriff’s Department Makes Inmate Release Dates Public
Alene Tchekmedyian. Los Angeles Times, March 26, 2018
The Orange County Sheriff’s Department on Monday made the release dates of jail inmates — including those in the country illegally — publicly available online, marking the latest local revolt against California’s so-called sanctuary laws.
Undersheriff Don Barnes said the action is in response to the harms done to the community under Senate Bill 54, which became law on Jan 1 and restricts local law enforcement’s cooperation with federal immigration authorities. Barnes and Sheriff Sandra Hutchens vocally fought against it.
“We have an obligation to safeguard our community, and we will use every tool available to help hold criminals accountable,” Barnes said Monday. “Our inability to relinquish these individuals to the custody of (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) causes them to be returned to the communities which they prey upon.”
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“SB 54 makes local law enforcement’s job more difficult and requires bureaucratic processes that could allow dangerous individuals to fall through the cracks of our justice system,” Hutchens said in a statement. “My department, however, remains committed to cooperating fully with federal authorities in all areas where I have discretion to remove serious criminals from our community.”
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In that same time period, 168 other inmates with more serious convictions did meet the requirements and were turned over to immigration agents as the law allows.
