California

News Article EAST BAY EXPRESS January 22, 2014

The Napolitano Files: The opportunistic Immigration record of the new UC president

In her comprehensive article, Ashley Bates, with commentary from Justice Strategies' Director Judith Greene, escorts the reader on the wide circle that has brought former Homeland Security Secretary and now University of California President, Janet Napolitano, face-to-face with the real-life personal, academic and legal challenges of undocumented UC students; challenges brought about by the very policies and political atmosphere that she, in her former role as a high-ranking government official, helped to fashion, champion and vigorously enforce.

News Article Colorlines September 12, 2013

LA County Sheriff Helps Deport Record Numbers of Immigrants

The work of handing over arrestees to immigration authorities under the controversial Secure Communities, or S-Comm, program is largely done by local county sheriffs. And, in terms of sheer numbers, no county has cooperated more fully than Los Angeles, where undocumented immigrants, authorized residents, and even U.S.-born citizens have been turned over for deportation. In fact, nearly 11 percent of all immigration detainers under S-Comm have originated in Los Angeles County—with Sheriff Lee Baca’s blessing.

JS Publication July 20, 2013

The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same

In this excerpted chapter from a forthcoming Justice Strategies' report on strategies for police accountability, Research Consultant Patricia Allard and Director Judith Greene review policing practices, policies, and reform efforts in the City of Los Angeles, over several decades.
News Article Los Angeles Times August 25, 2012

Sheriff Baca may defy proposed law easing immigration enforcement

Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca is among the California law enforcement officials who may defy a proposed state law and continue to detain arrestees who are illegal immigrants when asked to do so by federal authorities.

The Trust Act, which cleared the state Legislature on Friday, is the latest measure nationwide to push back against federal immigration policy, either by reducing or increasing enforcement. The law would prohibit local authorities from complying with federal detention requests except when a suspect has been charged with a serious or violent crime...

News Article Huffington Post August 23, 2012

Secure Communities Costs Los Angeles County More Than $26 Million A Year: Report

WASHINGTON -- Los Angeles County is spending more than $26 million a year to hold undocumented immigrants under a federal immigration enforcement initiative, individuals it would otherwise release, according to a report on Thursday. Critics say that demonstrates the high cost of the program, in which some local governments would rather not participate.

The report by Justice Strategies found that the cost of Secure Communities, a cooperative program between local police and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, is steep mainly because jails hold suspected undocumented immigrants are held an average of 20 days longer at ICE's request than they otherwise would. The advocacy group examined public records from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department provided to the National Day Laborer Organizing Network.

News Article Southern California Public Radio 89.3 KPCC August 23, 2012

Report: LA County spends $26 million a year to hold undocumented immigrants under Secure Communities

A new report finds that Los Angeles County spends $26 million a year to detain undocumented immigrants for the federal Secure Communities program.

Here’s how Secure Communities works: When local law enforcement makes any arrest, the detainees' fingerprints are sent to a federal database. If the person is deportable, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will ask local law enforcement to keep the person in detention for no more than 48 hours, until federal agents can transfer that person to one of its facilities.

News Article Colorlines August 23, 2012

Report: Deportation Program Costs L.A. County More Than $26 Million

Los Angeles County is spending an estimated $26 million a year to hold undocumented immigrants under the Secure Communities program, according to a report released Thursday by Justice Strategies. Secure Communities, also known as S-Comm, checks the legal status of anyone booked into a local jail and transfers those who are undocumented to ICE custody.

Among the report’s findings:

  • Los Angeles County taxpayers spend over $26 million per year to detain immigrants for ICE.
  • Individuals in Los Angeles County custody who are subject to immigration detainers spend, on average, 20.6 extra days in county custody.
  • California taxpayers spend an estimated $65 million annually to detain immigrants for ICE.
  • Based on L.A. County averages the report concludes S-Comm is costing the state an estimated $65 million.
JS Publication August 23, 2012

The Cost of Responding to Immigration Detainers in California

In our criminal justice system, detainers to hold individuals wanted by law enforcement agencies are issued by judges after they have reviewed the underlying circumstances leading to the request. Immigration detainers, or “ICE holds” are issued by ICE administrative officials without the benefit of judicial review. In this preliminary report, based on data from the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department, Justice Strategies finds that the cost to Los Angeles of complying with these administrative requests is more than $26 million annually.

 

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