The San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office was trying Thursday evening to confirm whether a group of men in tactical gear and ballistic vests that took a man off the street upon his release from the county jail Wednesday night were actually federal agents, and from what agency.
Sheriff Christina Corpus said Thursday that the Sheriff’s Office was not notified of, or involved in, any federal immigration enforcement. Corpus reiterated the county’s policy of not assisting or facilitating such operations, except in cases where a judicial warrant is served at the jail.
She said the man was taken off the public sidewalk in front of the county’s main jail, Maguire Correctional Facility in Redwood City, about 9:30 p.m.
“The law enforcement personnel who took the person into custody were wearing exterior ballistic vests and other gear commonly associated with federal immigration enforcement officials, but we have not been able to identify which agency,” Corpus said.
Requests for confirmation about whether the operation involved federal agents or potential impersonators were not immediately returned by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement or other agencies dealing with immigration enforcement.
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Some cities and counties in California have been considering local legislation to require federal law enforcement to identify themselves, and a bill at the state level introduced by state Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, advanced through committee last week, but it was unclear whether any of those jurisdictions had such legal authority over federal law enforcement.
States, cities and counties with sanctuary policies decline to dedicate local resources to federal immigration enforcement to encourage participation with local law enforcement.
“The public must know that the county’s policy is not to cooperate with ICE and that our jails are not a pipeline for deportation,” Supervisor David Canepa said in a text message.
A request for comment from the San Mateo County Rapid Response Network, a county sponsored hotline that reports on federal immigration operations in the county and offers guidance and legal resources, was not immediately returned.
Anonymous masked men kidnapped someone right outside the county jail? This is scary and so wrong. If they were ICE or law enforcement they should be required to identify themselves.
So according to you, NancyG, somebody was kidnapped right outside the county jail. Shouldn’t it be more scary and more wrong that county jail authorities weren’t able to stop this kidnapping? In front of their jail? Seems to me the folks at the county jail likely know who arrested this person and they didn’t do anything lest they be arrested, also, for interfering. BTW, Tom Homan warned folks he would concentrate more ICE personnel in sanctuary areas harboring fugitives. Congrats, California, you’re getting what America voted for.
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(2) comments
Anonymous masked men kidnapped someone right outside the county jail? This is scary and so wrong. If they were ICE or law enforcement they should be required to identify themselves.
So according to you, NancyG, somebody was kidnapped right outside the county jail. Shouldn’t it be more scary and more wrong that county jail authorities weren’t able to stop this kidnapping? In front of their jail? Seems to me the folks at the county jail likely know who arrested this person and they didn’t do anything lest they be arrested, also, for interfering. BTW, Tom Homan warned folks he would concentrate more ICE personnel in sanctuary areas harboring fugitives. Congrats, California, you’re getting what America voted for.
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Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.