Collaboration with ICE: Orange County Sheriff’s Department Reports High Turnover of Inmates
Debate on Immigration Cooperation: Orange County Sheriff’s Supervisors Tackle the Role. (PHOTO: Homeland Security Today)
Calls for Transparency: Supervisor Sarmiento’s Advocacy for Discussion on Immigration Policies
According to Voice of Oc, Orange County residents are awaiting the release of the annual report detailing the collaboration between the Orange County sheriff’s department and federal immigration authorities. According to the latest data, the Orange County sheriff’s department significantly increased the number of inmates turned over to immigration rising from 17 in 2022 to 221 in the past year. While state law prohibits direct prisoner transfers to Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the sheriff’s department informs federal authorities upon an inmate’s release facilitating immediate pick-up by immigration agents outside the jail.
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Calls for Transparency: Supervisor Sarmiento’s Advocacy for Discussion on Immigration Policies
The Orange County Sheriff’s Department notified ICE about 302 inmates last year with 221 individuals subsequently picked up by federal immigration authorities, as confirmed by Carrie Braun, a department spokesperson. Additionally, there were 245 inmates flagged by ICE that the sheriff’s department did not notify them about. Over the past five years, Orange County Sheriff’s have ranked second-highest in the state for inmate turnovers to ICE as per data from the state Department of Justice. However, reporting discrepancies surfaced in the Orange County sheriff’s initial staff report prompting clarification that they notified ICE about 155 inmates in 2022 not the initially reported 17. While county supervisors have the opportunity to review this issue annually, public scrutiny persists regarding Orange County’s extensive collaboration with ICE and the lack of transparency from elected officials. Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento raised concerns last year advocating for more discussion on the county’s immigration policies to avoid perceptions of secrecy or avoidance. However, despite Sarmiento’s inquiries, no changes were made to this year’s presentation leaving unanswered questions about the county’s stance on immigration enforcement.
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