Governor Jerry Brown is considering a bill that aims to prohibit the police to deport illegal immigrants; however, this law would violate federal law.
The bill called the Trust Act would stop police from co-operating with Immigration and Customs enforcement officers on several listed cases. However, the bill applies only for those immigrants who have been arrested for minor crimes.
The bill is stirring controversy among sheriffs and prosecutors who believe that undocumented immigrants who are drug peddlers and burglars who have been deported several times are considered to be criminals with minor crimes in this bill.
Since, the bill violates federal statutes the California District Attorneys Association too is geared up to oppose this bill. They believe the bill is nonsensical.
On the other hand, the supporters believe that the bill is aimed at protecting innocent illegal immigrants who otherwise have no legal protection coming to their aid and are booked under midemeanors. However, critics argue that there are several loopholes in the bill that can easily be exploited and would let illegal immigrant suspects roam around free in the community.
The Governor has time until Oct 13 to veto or sign this bill.
Arizona Governor Jan Brewer issued an executive order banning undocumented immigrants including those under DACA program from receiving their driver’s licenses. The move sparked outrage in the Hispanic and immigrant communities which led to filing of a lawsuit against Brewer in the Federal Court.
Brewer had issued the order in August 2012 denying driver’s licenses to the undocumented cleared for a temporary residential status under the federal government’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program. However, on Tuesday, September 17 she expanded the ban to include immigrants, who are victims of sex trafficking and domestic violence granted deferred action on humanitarian grounds.
Nearly 17,000 undocumented immigrants have received deferred action since the implementation of the program last year. Brewer announced the change in policy in pleadings filed in federal court where Brewer was accused of discrimination against undocumented individuals.
The ACLU and other civil rights groups filed a suit on behalf of the Arizona Dream Act Coalition seeking a preliminary injunction against the governor’s order on the grounds that it violated the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution as well as the 14th Amendment’s guarantee of equal protection under the law.
After a ruling against the Governor’s order, the policy was extended to all undocumented immigrants and not just DACA recipients.
Governor Jerry Brown is considering a bill that aims to prohibit the police to deport illegal immigrants; however, this law would violate federal law.
