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Ventura County attorneys, official explain immigrant rights during ICE encounters; county reiterates compliance with SB 54
Summary
At a public meeting, Ventura County legal staff and community advocates outlined immigrant rights during interactions with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), described local policy under California Senate Bill 54 and explained post-conviction relief options and community legal resources.
Brooke Lotz, an immigration attorney with the Ventura County Public Defender's Office, and a county staff member outlined legal rights and local procedures for encounters with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at a public forum in Ventura County.
"First, everyone in the U.S. has the right to remain silent," Lotz said, advising that people explicitly state they are exercising that right if questioned. She added that people "do not need to sign anything without first speaking to an attorney" and that noncitizens "have the right to speak with an attorney, but [one] will not be appointed to them even if they can't afford it." Lotz said that is how immigration court differs from criminal court.
A county staff member said local law enforcement does not participate in immigration enforcement. "We 100% follow Senate Bill…
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