Pro-“sanctuary state” California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) has come under fire from left-wing immigrant rights groups for “choosing to work with ICE.”
“It’s deeply disappointing that the governor is choosing to work with ICE,” said Asian Law Caucus attorney Anoop Prasad, as reported by The Los Angeles Times.
Newsom’s “deeply disappointing” actions, according to Prasad and other immigrant rights activists, is his decision to allow a paroled immigrant who served two decades behind bars for murder to be handed over to federal immigration authorities, a process Prasad decried as “unjust and illogical” and “tearing apart communities in California.”
The outrage from immigration rights groups stems from the case of Cambodian refugee Tith Ton, 40, who served 22 years in prison for the murder of a rival gang member.
Upon Newsom approving his parole, Ton was immediately transferred into the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Immigration rights groups are demanding that Newsom further expand California’s “sanctuary state” policies by refusing to cooperate with federal authorities in such circumstances.
According to the LA Times, Ton’s case, as well as other convicts from Southeast Asia facing deportation, drew “dozens” of rallyers last month, who gathered on the lawn of the state Capitol to attempt to pressure the state to further thwart federal authorities by ending a corrections policy of notifying them about the release of convicts listed on ICE detainers or arrest warrants.
Their demand would expand the state’s already radical “sanctuary” policy, the “Trust Act” (SB 54), which “prohibits state and local law enforcement from holding people longer than 48 hours for federal immigration agents — unless they’ve been convicted of certain crimes, most of them serious or violent,” as the Times explained in 2017.
The revised Trust Act (2017) “curb[s] state and local agencies from collecting or sharing their personal information and release dates from jail or prison with federal immigration officials.”
“Ton was picked up Monday by a private government contractor in what immigrant groups contend is a violation of federal law, his attorney said,” the Times reports. “Newsom this year vetoed a bill that would have blocked private companies from picking up paroled immigrants in California.”
Asked about the decision to approve the parole and transfer of Ton, Newsom’s office offered no comment. A corrections department spokesman, however, did respond, succinctly telling the LA Times, “We followed normal procedure.”
Prasad says that while in prison Ton turned his life around and has become a substance abuse counselor. Since Newsom approved his parole, he must agree that Ton no longer poses a threat to the community, Prasad maintains.
Newsom has made national headlines in recent days due to a public feud with President Trump. Newsom has attempted to shift the blame for the homeless crisis in California away from the progressive policies Newsom has supported to Trump’s Department of Housing and Urban Development “doing nothing” on the “housing first” initiative.
In spin room at #DemDebate, @GavinNewsom slams Trump Administration and HUD for doing “nothing” on “housing first,” the priority to solve homelessness. pic.twitter.com/AQXRHUwZys
— Carla Marinucci (@cmarinucci) December 20, 2019
In response, Trump offered to get the federal government more involved in Newsom’s state: “Governor Gavin [Newsom] has done a really bad job on taking care of the homeless population in California. If he can’t fix the problem, the Federal Govt. will get involved!”
Governor Gavin N has done a really bad job on taking care of the homeless population in California. If he can’t fix the problem, the Federal Govt. will get involved! https://t.co/2z8zM37PUA
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 25, 2019
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