East Bay sheriffs to release immigrants held for feds

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http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_25809938/east-bay-sheriffs-release-immigrants-held-feds

DUBLIN -- Joining a national trend of resisting the Obama administration's deportation dragnet, the sheriffs of Alameda and Contra Costa counties said they are immediately releasing all inmates whose sole reason for being held is their immigration status.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement makes about 1,000 requests to Alameda County's Santa Rita Jail each year to hand over immigrants arrested on other charges and suspected of being in the country illegally, but "now we won't be honoring any of them," Sheriff Greg Ahern said in an interview Wednesday. "We're not going to be honoring the ICE holds unless they're backed by the order of a judge."

Contra Costa County Sheriff David Livingston said Wednesday he implemented an identical order last week. San Mateo County Sheriff Greg Munks is contemplating a similar policy but plans to allow for case-by-case exceptions for immigrants who "pose significant public safety risks."

Ahern had pleasantly surprised immigrant advocates earlier this year with an order that freed many immigrants by preventing federal agents from picking up all but the most serious criminal convicts. His new rule, however, goes farther.

"All immigrants currently being held based on an immigration detainer will be released without delay," Alameda County Sheriff's Capt. Colby Staysa wrote in a Wednesday morning memorandum to jail staff.

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Excellent news.