Marin County residents are invited to participate in a community forum about a 2016 California law called the TRUTH Act and the access local governments may provide to federal immigration authorities. The forum is scheduled for 5 p.m. Tuesday, March 5.
The session will take place in the Board of Supervisors chamber (Suite 330) of the Marin County Civic Center, 3501 Civic Center Drive, San Rafael. It will be livestreamed on both the County’s website and on the Community Media Center of Marin (CMCM) webpage. Comcast subscribers will be able to watch the session live on Channel 27.
The TRUTH Act’s formal name is the Transparent Review of Unjust Transfers and Holds Act. Governor Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill 2792 into law on September 28, 2016. It pertains to the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Agency and its access to individuals who have come in contact with law enforcement. The TRUTH Act requires local governing bodies, in which local law enforcement has provided any “ICE access” to an individual in custody, to hold a community forum to receive and consider public comment.
At the forum, the Marin County Sheriff’s Office plans to share data it maintains regarding individuals to whom the agency has provided any ICE access for the period January 1 through December 31, 2023. In 2023, 13 individuals were referred for ICE notifications – down from 33 in 2022.
Sheriff policies were modified since 2017 to emphasize that staff no longer inquire about immigration status when carrying out their duties and have stopped responding to ICE regarding release dates for low-level offenses. Since August 15, 2020, ICE is no longer permitted in the secure part of the jail facility. As a result, Sheriff’s staff no longer tracks ICE arrests.
Although the County government is hosting the meeting and Board President Dennis Rodoni will serve as moderator, the Marin County Board of Supervisors will take no action on the matter.
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