The director of ICE in Los Angeles says that less than 5 thousand of his 11 thousand orders were attended
More than 10,000 foreigners from Los Angeles have dodged an arrest warrant issued by federal authorities (“detainers”), as a result of state law that limits the collaboration of local and federal agencies such as the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Service ( ICE).
In a press conference held this Thursday, the director in Los Angeles of ICE, David Marin, noted that so far this year This agency has issued about 11,000 immigrant detention orders to the local Los Angeles police, of which less than 500 were served.
"These are criminal aliens who have violated immigration laws and who have been arrested and were in the custody of local law enforcement agencies," Marin lamented.
The official stressed that under federal law, ICE has the authority to request local agencies to retain these immigrants but that California jurisdictions are freeing "foreign criminals."
Marin gave an example of the case of Omar López-Hernández, 43, who was arrested by immigration agents last Monday.
The Mexican had twelve previous arrests and four convictions for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs (DUI). Three of the DUI arrests occurred in Los Angeles in February, April and July of this year.
Marín said that in each of the arrests, ICE asked local authorities to retain López-Hernández and none was complied with.
López-Hernández has been deported to Mexico four times since 2002 and the most recent expulsion occurred in November 2016.
Marín announced that This week ICE detained more than 155 foreigners for deportation in Los Angeles, of which 79 had been in local custody and immigration agents had requested that they be held.
Local authorities ignored the petition, under state law declaring California a "sanctuary" for immigrants and prohibits collaboration between local law enforcement agencies and federal immigration agencies.
According to ICE data, almost 70% of detentions for immigration violations occur after this agency receives notification about the release of a foreigner from a local or state jail.
