SAN DIEGO−San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore is the first to comply with a string of subpoenas issued by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). ICE served the SDSD with subpoenas seeking jail and arrest records for four individuals.
The passage of SB 54 prohibits California law enforcement from cooperating with immigration officials or honoring detainee holds.
Congress enacted subsection (d)(4) of 8 USC 1225 states:
“The Attorney General and any immigration officer shall have power to require by subpoena…the production of books, papers, and documents relating to the privilege of any person to enter, reenter, reside in, or pass through the United States…”
“While the Sheriff’s Department does not enforce immigration laws, we are obligated to comply with lawfully issued subpoenas,” reads a statement from the San Diego Sheriff’s Department.
Sheriff Gore’s announcement came Thursday, February 20 in a statement less than a week following the ICE issued subpoenas. These are the only subpoenas issued in California thus far.
The immigration subpoenas issued follow subpoenas issued on Washington County on February 18, which were the first in Oregon. Since January, ICE has issued similar immigration subpoenas in California, Denver, Connecticut and New York. Should the law enforcement agencies neglect or refuse to respond to the subpoenas, and immigration officer may coordinate with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the district in which the subpoena was issued to seek and order from the U.S. District Court requiring production pursuant to INA § 235(d)(4)(B), 8 C.F.R. § 287.4(d).
The subpoenas were for information regarding four Mexican Nationals in the country illegally who have been arrested in the past few months. They are wanted for the sexual assault of a child, battery, robbery, and drug possession NBC 7 reported.
The Trump administration is applying pressure to Sanctuary Cities who refuse to cooperate with ICE and may risk losing federal funding. President Trump recognizes Angel Families at his Keep America Great Rallies. Angel Families are those who have lost loved ones at the hands of criminal illegals immigrants who were not properly identified, detained and removed.
