SF board changes tack on immigrant minors { Criminals protected from Immigration}

AP via SFGate ^ | 10/27/9 | JULIANA BARBASSA, Associated Press Writer

[SmithL]

San Francisco (AP) --

This famously liberal city, known for tackling thorny issues from gay marriage to universal health care, is wrestling with another divisive issue.

The Board of Supervisors gave final approval Tuesday to a measure that would keep law enforcement from turning over minors to immigration authorities unless they have been found guilty of a felony.

The move pits the panel against Mayor Gavin Newsom and law enforcement by reversing his policy of turning over youths to Immigration and Customs Enforcement after their arrest.

Newsom took the stance in 2008 after the city was accused of protecting young offenders such as Edwin Ramos from deportation.

Ramos, an undocumented immigrant from El Salvador, was charged with felonies as a minor, but the sanctuary policy allowed the suspected gang member to stay in the U.S.

Now 22, Ramos is awaiting trial in the shooting death of a man and his two sons in San Francisco as they headed home from a barbecue.

Since the mayor changed the policy, 149 undocumented juveniles charged with felonies have been referred to immigration officials, ICE said.

The newly approved measure is supported by civil rights groups, immigrant advocates and the Juvenile Division of the Public Defender's Office, who contend it restores the right of minors to due process and gives them a chance to defend themselves before facing possible deportation and separation from their families.

"We need to treat children as children — they are vulnerable and they are different from adults," said Patricia Lee, head attorney with the Juvenile Division of the Public Defender's Office.

Newsom's policy, she said, "flies in the face of any code in the nation that provides for the protection of the child and reunification with the family."

[SmithL]

Coddling criminals in Sanctuary Francisco!

[Oldexpat]

A High School age kid that gets arrested and is found to be in the country illegally should be deported. If his family shows up in court..deport them to.
CA schools are overrun with bad acting illegal kids. The people who suffer most are those that can’t afford a private school and must suffer and see all the resources going to the trouble makers.
Throw the bums out.

[Candor7]

Yeah! Keep these guys around. They really spice up the hood!

It takes a village!

[my_pointy_head_is_sharp]

Newsom took the stance in 2008 after the city was accused of protecting young offenders [] from deportation.

Newsom took the stance because he's running for Governor of California (please, God, no). Ordinarily, he'd be in favor of such a law.