The Orange County Sheriff’s Office will not enforce federal immigration laws, Sheriff Don Burns said Tuesday that the state criticized the state for preventing California agencies from working with federal authorities.
The sheriff said his department “is not engaged in immigration enforcement” while submitting an annual report on immigration enforcement to the Orange County Board of Supervisors.
“My representatives focus on criminal violations of state and local laws. They never ask the status of immigrants of suspects, witnesses or people reporting crimes,” Burns said. “We are not involved in local enforcement operations by federal authorities enforce immigration laws.”
However, the sheriff has made it clear that his office will not stop American immigration and customs enforcement from doing the job.
“My department never prevents federal law enforcement officials from carrying out their responsibilities,” he said.
Last year, 733 of the approximately 48,000 suspects caught the attention of immigrants and customs enforcement. Of that, state law prohibited his agent from warning ICE once 456 of the inmates are released, Burns said.
Then, 277 ICEs showed interest, and 49 was not picked up by federal authorities, the sheriff explained.
“People who are not picked up by the ice continue to sacrifice our community and consume law enforcement resources,” Burns said.
Burns said he is opposed to the so-called state sanctuary law because his department doesn’t care about enforcing federal laws and feels it is unnecessary. He said it could encourage more federal authorities.
If state law allows, some prisoners are released, and if his department fails to warn the ice, they will vehemently ask for undocumented immigrants.
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