California State Senate President Kevin de Leon is the author of the state sanctuary bill (SB 54) that passed the Senate in April. It effectively prohibits local law enforcement officers from assisting federal immigration authorities.
The legislation is currently being debated in the state Assembly. It effectively bars federal agents from state jails and immigration databases.
Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens said it is all “about sticking it to the [Trump] administration.”
She believes it jeopardizes public safety because it would prevent her from letting the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency know about illegal immigrant felons being held in the Orange County jail.
Hutchens believes the proposed state law is in violation of federal laws. She worries that, if passed, she would be reported to state Attorney General Xavier Bacerra for punishment if she violated the new state law. She shared her concerns with Tucker Carlson on his broadcast last Tuesday.
At the time of state senate debate, De Leon acknowledged he has relatives in California who are there illegally. He characterized the measure as a way to “stop the Trump deportation machine.”
If passed, the California law would conflict directly with the laws recently passed in the U.S. House.
President Trump was incredibly pleased by the actions taken to combat illegal immigration. He summarized the bills this way:
The first bill, Kate’s Law, increases criminal penalties for illegal immigrants who repeatedly re-enter the country illegally. The bill is named for Kate Steinle, who was killed by an illegal immigrant who had been deported five times. Every year, countless Americans are victimized, assaulted, and killed by illegal immigrants who have been deported multiple times. It is time for these tragedies to end.”
The other bill takes specific aim at cities with sanctuary policies.
The second bill, the No Sanctuary for Criminals Act, restricts taxpayer grant money to cities that prevent their police from turning over dangerous criminal aliens to federal authorities. Sanctuary cities are releasing violent criminals, including members of the bloodthirsty MS-13 gang, back onto our streets every single day. Innocent Americans are suffering unthinkable violence as a result of these cities’ reckless actions.”
As it stands now, the proposed state and federal laws are on a collision course. Law enforcement officials like Sandra Hutchens are caught in the middle of the controversy, but nonetheless charged with upholding public safety. It’s downright irresponsible for charlatans like Kevin De Leon to make her job almost impossible to do.
California just keeps drifting further leftward as it ignores the mainstream values the overwhelming majority of Americans embrace.
Update – The bill has been amended:
Gov. Jerry Brown and Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de León struck a deal on California’s “sanctuary state” bill Monday after weeks of negotiations.
The bill was amended to expand law enforcement’s ability to cooperate with federal immigration authorities, reflecting a compromise between the two political leaders. Brown previously said he was seeking changes to the measure, casting doubts on whether he would sign an earlier and stronger version of the bill.
“This bill protects public safety and people who come to California to work hard and make this state a better place,” Brown said in a statement.
The bill previously built a wall between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities, with a few exceptions. It allowed police to respond to federal immigration requests related to inmates who are serving time for or who have been previously convicted of a violent or serious felony and called for the state to give ICE at least 60 days before such felons are released from prison.
The new changes give local police discretion to hold someone for federal authorities if they have been convicted of a serious or violent felony, a misdemeanor punishable as a felony, felony drunk driving, unlawful possession of a deadly weapon, felony drug crimes and other lesser crimes.
The new iteration of the bill also gives immigration agents access to interview individuals in jails, which was previously prohibited, and removes a ban on sharing information from databases with immigration authorities.
Despite the changes, de León and pro-immigrant groups stood by the measure Monday. De León, D-Los Angeles, said the bill continues to provide “landmark protections for our undocumented community.”
Photo: OC Register
This sherrif is right.
Sticking it to Trump? no it’s more like sticking it to themselves.
Dumb asses you mean.