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Community volunteers and advocates accuse county jail of cooperating with ICE; board hears appeals for civilian oversight
Summary
Multiple public commenters and oversight volunteers told the board they have observed ICE arrests at the county jail and accused the sheriff's office of sharing information or holding inmates for ICE contrary to state sanctuary laws, calling for investigation and a civilian oversight body with subpoena power.
During general public comment the board heard sustained concerns from multiple speakers and volunteer oversight groups alleging that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has conducted enforcement actions at the county jail and that sheriff's office practices have enabled arrests of people being released from custody.
Dr. Cindy Lewis and other speakers said volunteers had documented at least 79 instances in 2026 where people scheduled for release were detained and handed to ICE agents. "We were all here to hear about that, which we believed included the jail... The sheriff's office did not notify at least 3 and likely more inmates about ICE requests for them before release from custody, which breaks more California law," Dr. Lewis said, referring to state sanctuary protections.
Speakers asked the board to establish civilian oversight with enforcement and subpoena authority over the sheriff's office to ensure compliance with state law. The board did not take immediate action on the requests at the meeting; supervisors thanked speakers and said the board holds oversight responsibility and will consider next steps.
