The ruling applies only to the Central District of California, where state law already sharply limits the extent to which state and local law enforcement agencies can honour requests from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. But the district encompasses ICE’s Pacific Enforcement Response Center in Laguna Niguel, which makes requests around-the-clock to law enforcement agencies in 42 states and two U.S. territories. U.S. District Judge Andre Birotte Jr. in Los Angeles said the databases are unreliable for people who are not already deported or in removal proceedings before an immigration judge. During Barack Obama’s presidency, immigration authorities dramatically increased requests to prisons and jails to hold people an additional 48 hours if they are suspected of being in the country illegally. The practice, which has continued under President Donald Trump, often gives immigration authorities time to arrest people before they are released.

Source: thestar February 08, 2020 01:41 UTC