Thread: Federal grand jury investigating S.F.'s sanctuary-city polic

Federal grand jury investigating S.F.'s sanctuary-city policies
Bob Egelko, Chronicle Staff Writer

Friday, October 3, 2008

(10-03) 17:58 PDT SAN FRANCISCO -- A federal grand jury is investigating whether San Francisco's policy of offering sanctuary to undocumented immigrants violates U.S. laws against harboring people who are in the country illegally, city officials say.

City Attorney Dennis Herrera said his office has hired a criminal defense lawyer to represent employees who might be questioned or asked for documents. Both he and Mayor Gavin Newsom said they would cooperate with the investigation.

San Francisco, like about 80 other U.S. cities and five states, has a law prohibiting the use of its funds to help enforce federal immigration law or question individuals about their immigration status. The San Francisco ordinance, originally prompted by arrivals of refugees from Central American wars of the 1980s, specifies that police can report jailed felons to federal immigration authorities.

The Chronicle reported earlier this year that San Francisco juvenile justice authorities, interpreting the sanctuary policy, had flown some illegal immigrant youths to their home countries after juvenile court judges found they had committed felonies. Other youths were sent to unlocked group homes in this country and escaped.

The policy of not referring juvenile offenders to federal immigration authorities had been in place for at least a decade. Newsom announced in July, after the first Chronicle articles appeared, that he had halted the flights in May and told city officials to start turning over youthful felons as well as adults to immigration officers for deportation.

Herrera's office was notified of the investigation several weeks ago when the grand jury issued a subpoena for documents. It's not clear whether prosecutors are seeking evidence of possible criminal violations by city officials. Herrera issued a prepared statement but did not answer questions about the investigation, and U.S. Attorney Joseph Russoniello - who has been a vocal critic of the city's policy - had no comment, said spokesman Joshua Eaton.

Herrera's statement said his office would "cooperate fully with the U.S. attorney's inquiry involving individuals in city custody who may be undocumented."

"Given that a federal grand jury subpoena has been issued," the city attorney said, he has hired a private lawyer to advise the city on its response to the subpoena and represent city employees whose actions "may be the subject of federal inquiry."

Newsom issued a statement Friday saying he is "aware that federal authorities are in the process of obtaining records from city departments related to the treatment of undocumented immigrants under our sanctuary city policy."

"After the federal government completes its review, I am optimistic that it will conclude that city government has followed the law in every respect," the mayor said. "But in the meantime, I pledge our city government's full cooperation with federal authorities."

Newsom has not been issued a subpoena, said spokesman Nathan Ballard.

Meanwhile, state Attorney General Jerry Brown's office said it has been asked by the city to investigate leaks to The Chronicle of confidential court filings in juvenile cases. The paper reported on the contents of the filings in articles about youths who were protected from deportation.

Public Defender Jeff Adachi first asked for the probe after papers filed by one of the office's lawyers was quoted in Chronicle articles. Juvenile court hearings and filings are confidential by law.

Brown's press secretary, Christine Gasparac, said the San Francisco Superior Court had asked the attorney general to look into the leaks. "We are reviewing the request for an investigation," she said.

Adachi said he wrote to a Superior Court judge in early September seeking the investigation.

"What we have here is a consistent pattern of somebody who is leaking confidential information, protected information, from juvenile hall," the public defender said.

"It's a misdemeanor to disclose confidential filings in a juvenile case," Adachi said. "The Legislature has enacted these laws to protect children because juvenile proceedings are not considered criminal proceedings. The laws prohibit disclosure of the identities of juveniles or the circumstances of their cases to the press or anyone else."

E-mail Bob Egelko at begelko@sfchronicle.com.

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f ... 13B7IJ.DTL

YOU BEAT ME TO IT ZEEZIL. I DELETED MINE.

I AM SO HAPPY ABOUT THIS. I HOPE THEY FRY THEM.

A federal grand jury is investigating whether San Francisco's policy of offering sanctuary to undocumented immigrants violates U.S. laws against harboring people who are in the country illegally, city officials say.

Gee, ya think?

Well, good!

This could be interesting but not getting hopes up yet.

Originally Posted by jean

A federal grand jury is investigating whether San Francisco's policy of offering sanctuary to undocumented immigrants violates U.S. laws against harboring people who are in the country illegally, city officials say.

Gee, ya think?

Well, good!

This could be interesting but not getting hopes up yet.

YA. LETS SEE WHAT HAPPENS. BUT SOMETHING TELLS ME THEY DO WANT TO TAKE DOWN NEWSOM.

THEY HAVE BEEN HITTING HIM LEFT AND RIGHT WITH ONE THING OR ANOTHER.

IT ALL STARTED LAST YEAR WHEN HE WENT TO DRUG REHAB AND THAT SCANDAL WHERE HE WAS HAVING AN AFFAIR WITH SOMEONES WIFE.

SINCE THEN THEY HAVE BEEN ON HIM CONSTANTLY. AND I THINK THIS MAY GO SOMEWHERE FOR THAT REASON.

Interesting redpony. And to think he was forming an exploratory committee for a possible run as governor.

YEA its about dang time something this good happens to the city of the crazies

Originally Posted by jean

Interesting redpony. And to think he was forming an exploratory committee for a possible run as governor.

YA. BY "COINCIDENCE", THAT WAS AROUND THE SAME TIME.

Originally Posted by jamesw62

YEA its about dang time something this good happens to the city of the crazies

WE ARE NOT A CITY OF CRAZIES.

Originally Posted by redpony353

Originally Posted by jamesw62

YEA its about dang time something this good happens to the city of the crazies

WE ARE NOT A CITY OF CRAZIES.

It's ok redpony. I've often read comments here by members from other states that attack our state in ways we may take personally, I certainly have. Many members of this forum are Californians!
Hang in there!

Originally Posted by jean

Originally Posted by redpony353

Originally Posted by jamesw62

YEA its about dang time something this good happens to the city of the crazies

WE ARE NOT A CITY OF CRAZIES.

It's ok redpony. I've often read comments here by members from other states that attack our state in ways we may take personally, I certainly have. Many members of this forum are Californians!
Hang in there!

THANKS JEAN. I HAVE A PRETTY THICK SKIN AND I DONT REALLY TAKE IT TOO PERSONALLY. BUT I MUST DEFEND SAN FRANCISCANS.

WHERE THERE ARE SOME ULTRA LIBERAL TYPES HERE, THE AVERAGE SAN FRANCISCAN IS ACTUALLY VERY WELL BALANCED.

AND WHERE WE MAY OF A "LIVE AND LET LIVE" PHILOSOPHY, WE DRAW THE LINE AT THE POINT WHERE ONE CITIZENS LIFESTYLE STEPS ON THE TOES OF ANOTHER.

CERTAINLY THERE ARE FEW, IF ANY, SAN FRANCISCANS THAT ARE IN FAVOR OF PROTECTING CRACK DEALING ILLEGAL ALIENS WHO SHOOT PEOPLE IN THE STREET FROM BEING HANDED OVER TO ICE. EVEN THE ULTRA LIBERALS ARE NOT IN FAVOR OF THIS.

AND I TOO HEAR THE CRACKS AGAINST CALI. CALIFORNIA MAY INDEED BE A MESS, BUT NOT ALL CALIFORNIANS ARE A MESS.

SO WHEN SOMEONE SAYS SOMETHING NEGATIVE ABOUT SAN FRANCISCO, THAT IS ONE THING. BUT WHEN SOMEONE SAYS SOMETHING ABOUT SAN FRANCISCANS, I TAKE ISSUE WITH THAT.