Group protests Fresno sheriff’s teamwork with ICE

A group which opposes Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims’ cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement says it wants the sheriff to halt a program that puts ICE agents in Fresno County Jail to monitor the release of undocumented immigrants.

Mims announced Thursday that the program began June 22, and said it would help keep undocumented immigrants with serious criminal convictions from returning to the streets. The program is a response to a ruling in an Oregon federal district court that holding such prisoners in jail at the request of ICE after they are eligible for release is unconstitutional. It would allow ICE agents in the jail to quickly examine criminal histories and conduct interviews to make a deportation decision without a further detention.

Grisanti Valencia, of California Immigrant and Youth Justice Alliance, which has protested against the sheriff’s policies before, said the program “goes against the spirit of the TRUST Act, a state law which seeks to reduce deportations in California. Fresno County should be looking at ways to end their relationship with ICE, instead of further entangling local law enforcement with a federal agency that cannot be trusted.”

ICE Assistant Field Director Jose M. Correa Sr. said undocumented immigrants who would be scrutinized for deportation would be those with serious offenses like rape, child sex offenses and domestic violence. So far, 23 convicted in such cases have been deported, he added.

But Luis Ojeda of the alliance said his group does not trust ICE and believes those arrested for “low-level” crimes will also be targeted. He also said the group does not believe those who have served sentences for any crime should be deported because to do so constitutes double jeopardy.

This story was originally published July 10, 2015 at 3:42 PM with the headline "Group protests Fresno sheriff’s teamwork with ICE."