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County sheriff: department will not enforce federal immigration law, will follow SB 54 limits
Summary
Captain Jason Ivens read a statement from Orange County Sheriff Barnes clarifying the departments role: it does not enforce federal immigration law, will remain focused on state and local offenses, will not ask immigration status of victims/witnesses, and cited cooperation with ICE only as allowed by California Senate Bill 54.
The Orange County Sheriffs approach to immigration enforcement was clarified to the Mission Viejo City Council on March 11 when Captain Jason Ivens read a statement from Sheriff Barnes.
The statement, provided to the council and the public, says in part: "The Orange County Sheriff's Department does not enforce federal immigration law. It is not our primary mission and we will remain focused on violations of state and local laws." The statement added that deputies "do not and will never ask the immigration status of victims, witnesses, suspects, or those who call to report crimes."
The statement also noted restrictions under California Senate Bill 54 and said the sheriff's office "has chosen to cooperate with ICE to the fullest extent provided by the law in order to prevent serious offenders from returning to the communities they have preyed upon." Captain Ivens delivered the statement and took no follow-up questions at the time.
The council later heard public comment requesting a city-specific statement about whether Mission Viejo would allow ICE operations; council discussion emphasized the sheriff's guidance and compliance with SB 54.
