California Sheriff Rejects “Sanctuary” Law, Makes Information on Illegals Public

The Orange County Sheriff’s Department has announced that it will begin publishing a list of criminal aliens who are inmates in the county jail, as part of its existing “Who’s in Jail,” online database.  The information made public will also include when criminal aliens are released from jail, a move that comes in direct retaliation to the state’s “sanctuary” laws which prohibit cooperation between police and federal immigration officials.

“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.

California’s “sanctuary law” has recently encountered resistance to this dangerous policy from multiple communities in California. Most notably, the City Council in Los Alamitos voted last week on an ordinance to exempt the city from state law over concerns that it is unconstitutional.

 

The Yorba Linda City Council agreed to file an amicus brief to a lawsuit filed by the Department of Justice against California.  The Orange County Board of Supervisors are also expected to consider a range of possible actions against the state law as well.

Open borders groups like the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) have been actively working to prevent cities in California from opposing the states “sanctuary” laws.

FAIR Staff: Content written by Federation for American Immigration Reform staff.