George Gascón
September 11, 2013
In my 30
years in law enforcement, I have often witnessed the unintended consequences of
well-meaning but poorly developed public safety policies. Few have had as
profound an impact on our constitutional rights as the widespread use of
immigration holds issued by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. What the
federal government touts as a sound public safety practice is having a chilling
effect on local law enforcement's effectiveness.
In 2010, Norma, an
undocumented immigrant living in San Francisco, was held on an immigration hold
in our local jail for days without due process. Norma, repeatedly abused by her
partner, had been too fearful to call police. When she finally did, she was arrested
along with her abuser, even though no charges were filed against her. While her
deportation was eventually canceled, Norma recalls being "so scared not
knowing what would happen to my 3-year-old child while I was in jail. I later
discovered that I had an immigration hold, even though no one told me what was
happening."
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