Pressured by the immigrant and undocumented communities, the Sonoma County Supervisors supported SB 54 – the TRUTH Act (Transparent Review of Unjust Transfers and Holds) – in 2018. This law was passed because immigrant people were being deprived of their rights when local Sheriffs cooperated with ICE, reporting people for deportation after their convictions.
We want to be very clear that our overall theme is that the collaboration between the Sheriff
and ICE completely stops! We want our Supervisors to place the impact of this cooperation on al County agencies on next year's Significant Item Agenda.
There is no law that requires that the sheriff cooperate with ICE. SB 54 is a floor of protection. Meaning that those are the minimum protections that can be afforded if we cooperate with ICE. It is not a ceiling—we want the most protection and to stop all cooperation.
Other counties have passed ordinances that prohibit or limit cooperation between their Sheriffs and ICE:
Santa Clara – prohibits all cooperation (among strongest in the country, originally passed in 2010/2011)
Humboldt – prohibits all cooperation
San Francisco – prohibits all cooperation (some narrow criminal exceptions which have never actually been used by the Sheriff, meaning that no one has been turned over since this policy was passed)
Contra Costa – prohibits transfers
San Mateo – prohibits transfers
Los Angeles – prohibits transfers
Marin – prohibits transfers
San Joaquin – prohibits transfers
Collaboration creates fear for community members and deters victims from reporting crimes.
Stories of Mothers who do not want to Call the police for help for their children’s first psychotic break. Spouses who do not want to call the police for help during a domestic disturbance/violence because they want help but do not want deportation.
Community members do not know the long list of charges or convictions that can make them subject to having ICE called on them which creates a lot of fear and anxiety. There should not be cooperation with ICE, but if it continues the information should be provided to the community who is most affected in their language on all websites and social media.
Cooperation goes against our community values (support from County Supervisors for SB 54,
sanctuary ordinances from local cities, and the creation of Secure Families legal collaborative to protect immigrant and undocumented residents). The County should fully fund a Removal Defense Attorney to assist with defending immigrants detained in the County Jail.
All people should be treated equally. US citizens only have to face criminal penalties, but
immigrants have to suffer two punishments: 1) criminal legal system, and 2) deportation.
Cooperation with ICE can result in cruel and involuntary family separations.
If cooperation with ICE were stopped there would be no legal liability for County taxpayers.
The county is more protected without cooperation.
Our Coalition is made up of organizations of immigrant and undocumented people in Sonoma County, and our allies including: Immigrant Defense Taskforce of North Bay Organizing Project, ALMAS Libres, Raizes Collective, North Bay Jobs with Justice, Sonoma Immigrant Services, HPEACE, Corazon Healdsburg, North Bay Rapid Response Network, Immigration Legal Resource Center, and Padilla Partners
Comments