DOJ sent letter today to CA Sherriffs requesting names of all inmates in county jails who are not citizens, their crimes of arrest or conviction and their scheduled release dates

 

Attorney General Pam Bondi sent letters to several California sheriffs today requesting the names of all inmates in their county jails who are not citizens of the United States, their crimes of arrest or conviction and their scheduled release dates.

AG Bondi requested the information be voluntarily provided within 30 days. If the Sheriffs refuse, the Department of Justice will pursue all available means of obtaining the list of names, including through subpoenas or other compulsory process.

Tomorrow morning, I will follow up with Humboldt County Sheriff  William Honsal to see if he received such a letter. 

7/17/25: I did email Sheriff Honsal this morning. He confirmed other reports that the letter was only sent out to some California Sheriffs. Humboldt was not one of those counties.

Sheriff Honsal's response:

"Good Morning John,

I have been in communication with the State Sheriffs and it appears only a few Counties were served with this letter:  LA, Riverside, San Diego, and San Francisco.    Humboldt County Sheriffs’ Office does not keep track of immigration status in our Jail Records or Records Management Systems.   The only notice we receive is from the Federal Government through Secured Communities, Finger print data.   The Federal Government will notify our jail when there is someone that is or was booked in that had previously been contacted by INS / BP and they are in violation of federal immigration law.     We are required by state code to track those HOlD contacts, but not act on them. This information is tracked by our jail administrative staff and not kept in our computer data base.  The Federal Government (and anyone from the public) can call and request release times on anyone we have in custody, it is public information.  So they can call and we will provide them that information.  We still will not hold someone past their release date. "

In May, I contacted Sheriff Honsal on another related topic. He had already issued a directive and responded promptly to me with that policy.

I also cced Humboldt Undersheriff J.D. Braud, HCSO Lt. Jesse Taylor and Humboldt Board of Supervisors Chair Michelle Bushnell. 

May 19, 2025 post.

https://johnchiv.blogspot.com/2025/05/us-attorneys-office-launches-operation.html?m=1

In that post, Sheriff Honsal told me about a directive he has given to HCSO deputies.

Sheriff Honsal sent me this response, "Yes, this is true, and its exactly what the state sheriffs have been asking for.  This is my directive sent out last week to my deputies:

Good afternoon,

As of late, the federal government has begun entering both criminal and civil warrants into NCIC. Under SB 54, we may only enforce criminal or “judicial”  federal warrants.   A judicial warrant is one issued by a federal judge or magistrate based on probable cause for a violation of federal criminal law, including immigration law.  The Values Act does not prohibit us from responding and taking action on criminal warrants in NCIC.

Procedure:

When an NCIC check returns a federal warrant, confirm it is a judicial warrant signed by a judge or magistrate.

If confirmed, arrest, transport, and book the individual into the jail.

The jail will notify federal authorities, and ICE will arrange pickup within 36 hours.