Board adopts ordinance limiting local cooperation with federal immigration detainers

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors on Tuesday passed an ordinance restricting local law enforcement from detaining people solely on the basis of federal civil immigration detainers once they become eligible for release from custody.

Supporters said the measure is intended to ensure victims and witnesses feel safe contacting police. "Disentangling our criminal justice system from civil immigration enforcement so that all of our residents, regardless of their status, do not have to hesitate to call for help," Supervisor Avalos told the board during debate.

The ordinance as adopted includes amendments introduced by Supervisor Kim that narrow the circumstances in which a local agency may consider honoring an immigration hold. "The only time that law enforcement will even consider... honoring an immigration hold, is if the individual who's a subject of the hold has been convicted of a violent felony, human trafficking, felony assault with a deadly weapon, or the use of a gun in commission of a violent…