Law enforcement group supports ending transfers to ICE in CA. What about local lawmakers?
A group that represents current and former law enforcement officials on Thursday expressed its support for legislation that would stop the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation from transferring individuals to immigration officials.
Assembly Bill 937, also known as the VISION Act, seeks to halt transfers from CDCR to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, altogether. Assemblywoman Wendy Carrillo, D-Los Angeles, introduced the legislation.
The bill awaits its final vote in the Senate, and Friday is the last day for the legislative session.
Sen. Melissa Hurtado, D-Sanger, is reportedly a “no” on the bill. The senator’s communications director wouldn’t confirm or deny that assertion, only telling The Bee last week Hurtado won’t be making any comments before the bill comes to the Senate floor. Assemblyman Jim Patterson, R-Fresno, voted no, and no vote was received from Assemblyman Joaquin Arambula, D-Fresno, during the bill’s final vote on the Assembly floor.
Dana Simas, press secretary for CDCR, said the agency doesn’t take a position on pending legislation.
The Law Enforcement Action Partnership (LEAP), which is a nonpartisan, nonprofit group of current and former police officers, prosecutors and judges, among other criminal justice professionals, confirmed to The Bee on Thursday the group is in support of AB 937.
“Primarily, we support the VISION Act because it takes urgent and necessary strides toward ensuring that local and state tax dollars are not used to funnel immigrants into inhumane conditions in immigration detention, violate Constitutional protections, and separate immigrant families and communities,” LEAP spokesman Denis McLaughlin told The Bee.
Earlier on Thursday, LEAP had expressed its support for the bill on Twitter with a statement, and several tweets.
“California should not subject community members to double punishment, and disregard their record of rehabilitation, stable reentry plans, and community support, purely because they are refugees or immigrants,” the group’s statement reads. “Ending ICE transfers in California is a necessary step in fulfilling the state’s commitment to ending racial injustice and mass incarceration.”
The California Police Chiefs Association opposes the legislation. The association says AB 937 would extend the state’s sanctuary protections to people convicted of any crime, such as sex crimes, murder, rape, torture and kidnapping.
“Additionally, the measure, Assembly Bill 937, removes an important exemption our police chiefs were given in previous sanctuary state legislation to allow our officers to partner with federal law enforcement agencies on anti-human trafficking and terrorist task forces,” the association said in a statement late in August.
LEAP says it “respectfully” disagrees with its colleagues at the association. The group says that by allowing people to reunite with their families after serving their time, the bill would help build safer communities.
Additionally, LEAP says, AB 937 would allow the state to “benefit from its significant investments in the rehabilitation, education, and training of individuals in CDCR who earn their release and are ready to contribute to their communities.”
“AB 937 is morally right and fiscally responsible,” LEAP said.
Carrillo’s office didn’t provide a comment by deadline Thursday.
Last week, a federal judge denied a government’s motion to dismiss a lawsuit against ICE over the agency’s use of private security guards to make arrests in California’s prisons. Gabriela Solano, the main plaintiff in the federal class action lawsuit, was transferred to ICE in March.
Solano had been granted parole after serving 22 years in prison, and was released from Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla when she was transferred to immigration officials.
Solano, a lawful permanent resident and domestic violence survivor, has since been deported to Mexico.
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