California Gov. Gavin Newsom has announced plans to veto Assembly Bill 15, which seeks to prevent the state’s prison system from collaborating with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Newsom’s office stated that current California law permits the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) to coordinate with ICE regarding individuals convicted of felony offenses who have completed their sentences. Meanwhile in Florida, St. Johns County Sheriff Robert Hardwick has announced the county’s plans to participate in the 287(g) program, which allows ICE to delegate specific immigration enforcement duties to local law enforcement.
Assembly Bill 15, sponsored by California Assemblymember Mike Gipson, aims to protect immigrant and refugee community members from what it describes as “double punishment” and further trauma associated with deportation.
Sheriff Hardwick detailed the procedures his department follows when encountering individuals without valid identification who may be in the country illegally. Such individuals are taken to the St. Johns County Jail, where their fingerprints are processed through the Immigration Alien Query (IAQ) system to check for deportation orders or warrants…