The Department of Justice (DOJ) has issued a request for the list of all noncitizen inmates currently held in San Francisco’s jails, threatening to employ “all available means” if the sheriff’s department does not comply.
This request places the San Francisco Sheriff’s Department at a crossroads, as complying would directly violate the city’s established sanctuary laws.
In addition to San Francisco, the DOJ’s request was also directed to other California counties, including Los Angeles, highlighting the administration’s focus on immigration enforcement.
Attorney General Pam Bondi emphasized the administration’s priority of removing “criminal illegal aliens,” reinforcing the goal of collaboration with county sheriffs to ensure the safety of Californians and Americans at large.
In response to the DOJ’s press release, a spokesperson for the sheriff stated that the department would review the outlined request and respond promptly.
San Francisco’s sanctuary law has been in effect since 1989 and has undergone multiple updates, primarily aiming to allow immigrants to report crimes without the fear of deportation.
Charles Lutvak stated that local law enforcement in San Francisco will continue its non-participation in federal immigration enforcement, affirming Mayor Lurie’s commitment to uphold these policies alongside the city’s public safety leaders.
The request for inmate information is part of a broader strategy by federal officials to expand mass deportations, which have been increasing in San Francisco and beyond, despite facing significant legal challenges and public protests.
Tom Homan, the administration’s border czar, recently reiterated intentions to amplify immigration enforcement efforts in sanctuary cities, marking the administration’s tough stance on immigration issues.
According to department data, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials have sent 353 detainer requests to the San Francisco Sheriff’s Department since January 1.
The Sheriff’s Department typically honors requests only for individuals convicted of serious or violent felonies, also taking public safety risks into account.
Since April 1, the San Francisco Sheriff’s Department has honored just one detainer request, according to their spokesperson.
Sheriff Paul Miyamoto has publicly stated that his priority is ensuring public safety rather than engaging in political disputes, emphasizing that cooperation should not instill fear in immigrant communities.
Miyamoto remarked, “The SFSO does not participate in civil immigration enforcement. The federal government already knows the identity and has the fingerprints of every inmate in San Francisco’s jails.”
He added that if federal authorities have a legitimate reason to detain someone, they can do so through the proper legal channels, such as obtaining a criminal warrant or court order.
The sheriff has pledged to respond to any request for information in alignment with local, state, and federal laws, maintaining that judicial warrants will be honored.
Bondi’s visit to San Francisco coincided with her scheduled announcement regarding plans to reopen Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary, a site closed in 1963 that has drawn millions of visitors for tourism since its transformation into a historic landmark in 1973.
It was clarified in an earlier version of this article that the San Francisco Sheriff’s Department had inaccurately reported the number of detainer requests from ICE as 706; the correct figure is 353.
image source from：sfstandard
