Yesterday Governor Jerry Brown and Senate leader Kevin De León agreed to amend SB 54, the 'sanctuary state' bill, which would limit local law enforcement's cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
SB 54 would prohibit police and sheriffs from asking about a person's immigration status, detaining people for ICE, and deputizing police as immigration agents.
Brown was clear that he wanted changes made to the original bill, and De León has made some concessions.
Under the changes made yesterday, SB 54 would let police share and transfer information about inmates convicted of about 800 crimes not listed in earlier versions of the bill.
800 crimes! That's how crazy De León is. He wanted to give blanket amnesty and protection to violent criminals!
The L.A. Times listed some of the other amendments:
- Immigration authorities would be able to interview people in jails, but will not be given permanent office space in jails.
- Officials from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation would be exempt from the bill, but required to provide increased protections for immigrant inmates and required to offer them the same chance as other prisoners at earning time credits toward their sentences.
- Federal immigration agents would have access to law enforcement databases. But the state attorney general's office would develop recommendations that would largely limit the agents' access to information.
- A series of technical changes to the bill's language to ensure officers can participate in joint task forces.
SB 54 still has to be approved in the Assembly. Click here to read more about the changes at the L.A. Times.