California may be a sanctuary state, though they’re being sued by the Department of Justice. The issue has caused serious contention between Sacramento and Washington, with Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown likening the legal action to an act of war against the state. Critics say California’s law, which went into effect this year, severely hampers efforts to combat illegal immigration, namely that it bars local law enforcement from contacting federal authorities unless those illegals arrested were convicted of one of 800 crimes listed in the law. Unless they fit that criterion, they cannot detain, hold, or contact ICE. Yet, even those with minor offenses have already broken the law by being here illegally. Well, the Orange County Sheriffs Office is now combating the law by merely making inmate release dates public to help ICE nab illegals that shouldn’t be here. More ICE agents have been deployed to California in general (via Ocean County Register):
The Orange County Sheriff’s Department, whose leadership opposes the new California sanctuary law that limits cooperation with federal immigration officials, announced Monday that it is now providing public information on when inmates are released from custody.
As of Monday, March 26, an existing “Who’s in Jail” online database includes the date and time of inmates’ release – a move agency officials say will enhance communication with its law enforcement partners.
The release date information applies to all inmates, not just those who are suspected of being in the country illegally. But the goal is to assist agents with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE.
“This is in response to SB-54 limiting our ability to communicate with federal authorities and our concern that criminals are being released to the street when there’s another avenue to safeguard the community by handing them over (to ICE for potential deportation),” Orange County Undersheriff Don Barnes said.
Orange County officials did not confer with ICE before making the change, he said.
Earlier this month, the city of Los Alamitos voted to opt out of the sanctuary state law, with another 13 considering following suit.