LA District Attorney to Back ‘Immigrant Rights Act’ to protect victims of crimes from deportation
Photo of George Gascon courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Los Angeles will soon see a legislative proposal aiming to protect undocumented crime victims and witnesses reportedly will be announced in Los Angeles. Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón, Assemblymember Miguel Santiago, and others introduce the “Immigrant Rights Act.” The act will help encourage undocumented Californians who are survivors and witnesses of crimes to come forward by protecting them from deportation from the United States. The official announcement is expected today.
Previously, Gascon fueled controversy with a special directive to LA Deputy District Attorneys in December 2022 that begins as follows:
” . . . . [K]eeping our communities safe requires public trust in the criminal justice system, including the willingness of victims and witnesses, regardless of immigration status, to report crime and assist in the prosecution of cases. Immigration consequences cannot be a barrier to justice for victims, nor impediments to testimony from witnesses. Immigrant communities must have confidence that our Office affirmatively weighs punitive aspects of immigration consequences as punitive when c considering plea agreements. In light of these discussions, this Special Directive formally updates our Office’s Immigration Policy (“Policy”).
Under this Policy, our Office will continue to take necessary measures to respect and uphold the rights of immigrant communities, actively pursue protections for immigrant victims of crime, and bring parity between the punishments meted out by the criminal legal system and those that will follow in the immigration system. Deputies have historically incorporated questions of equity and equality when considering the consequences of a particular plea—this Policy proactively elevates mitigating immigration consequences as a formal aspect of plea agreement policies in general. The overarching intent of this Policy is to attempt to avoid additional immigration impact on all parties, both victims and defendants.”
Known as a progressive DA, Gascon was subject to a failed recall attempt.
Stay tuned for details, when available, about the Immigrant Rights Act.
KJ
UPDATE (April 10, 3:315): For more information about the Immigrant Rights Act and its sponsors, click here.