Several immigrant rights groups today delivered petitions carrying thousands of signatuares, demanding that Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar cease his cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, essentially mirroring the 'Sanctuary' policies adopted by Travis County's new sheriff, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
Josue Romero of RAICES, the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services, says rather than honoring ICE 'detainer' requests automatically, the Sheriff should examine each one on the basis of how the safety and security of Bexar County will be affected.
"Deny these policies that are being handed down by the (Trump) Adminsitration," he said. "He has to protect everybody, whether they're documented or not. These are all people he is sworn to protect."
The heat has been on law enforcement since President Trump and Gov. Greg Abbott vowed to defund 'Sanctuary' cities and counties. At the same time, immigrant rights groups are pushing to make sure immigrants in the U.S. illegally are protected from deportation.
Romero says, despite the claims of the Trump Administration, many illegal immigrants with minor offenses like marijuana possession and speeding, are being lumped in with killers and rapists, and all are being handed over to ICE.
"Have them considered more on a case by case basis, what kinds of crimes these people are committing."RAICES says not being a 'Sanctuary' has cost Bexar County more than $25 million, a fraction of what the state threatens to cut under Gov. Abbott's 'Sanctuary' crackdown.
"Despite repeated claims to support the San Antonio immigrant community, Sheriff Salazar has proved that he is working as a pawn for federal immigration authorities." RAICES said.
HERE IS THE LANGUAGE OF THE PETITION:
Policy Demands:Bexar County Sheriff’s Office shall adopt the following policies to ensure the safety and security of all Bexar County Residents:
Bexar County Sheriff’s Office will commit to resisting all attempts for participation in 287(g) or any similar program that deputizes local law enforcement agents to act as immigration agents.
Bexar County Sheriff’s Office will not sign any Intergovernmental Service Agreements with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain immigrants or devote any bed space to immigrants in deportation proceedings.
Bexar County Sheriff’s Office will not honor any detainer issued by ICE unless it is accompanied by a warrant signed by a U.S. District Court judge or magistrate.
ICE detainers are not mandatory nor are they warrants. As a result, holding an individual beyond when they would otherwise be released from custody solely for immigration purposes, without a judicial warrant or probable cause of a new offense, violates that individual’s Fourth Amendment rights and results in unlawful detention.
Bexar County Sheriff’s Office shall not assist ICE in the enforcement of immigration laws. This includes:
Allowing ICE to access Bexar County databases; Notifying ICE of an individual’s release from Bexar County Jail; Allowing ICE to interview, interrogate, or meet with an individual in Bexar County Jail without giving the individual a meaningful opportunity to refuse or have counsel present; Asking or inquiring about an individual’s immigration status; Bexar County Sheriff’s Office shall not use any money, personnel, or resources to assist with the enforcement of federal immigration laws.
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