In recent weeks, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have been working outside the East Los Angeles Sheriff’s Station, detaining at least four people and taunting bystanders who filmed them.
That’s sparked protests and raised questions from local leaders about the department’s relationship with federal immigration agents, who are supposed to be banned from using county property as a staging area. At a meeting with East LA residents Tuesday, the East LA station’s captain Jorge Marchena responded to some of those concerns, maintaining that the LA County Sheriff’s Department does not work with federal immigration authorities to enforce immigration laws.
Marchena acknowledged how the increased activity near the station can sow distrust and instill fear in the surrounding community. “I know there’s a lot of concerns about the ICE activity that’s been going on in the community,” Marchena told residents at this week’s Maravilla Community Advisory Committee.
Marchena also explained the department’s policy on immigration enforcement, why ICE agents may be at the station and what authority they have while there.
How does ICE know when someone is at the East LA Sheriff’s Station?
While California law prohibits local law enforcement from assisting with federal immigration enforcement, Marchena said, all federal and local law enforcement can access fingerprint data through the Department of Justice.
“The way that ICE is locating people is through fingerprints. So if they get arrested for a DUI, whatever the case may be, if ICE is looking for someone in particular, they just look at those databases,” Marchena said. “That’s how these systems work; it’s been that way for decades.”
Marchena pointed out that under LA County’s zero-bail policy, also known as the Pre-Arraignment Release Protocols (PARP), some people can be released without paying bail and given a court date within hours of their arrest, depending on the offense.
“[Through the database, ICE] can see that a person they are looking for is in custody at East LA station,” and then wait for them to be released, Marchena said. He added that LASD is unaware of who ICE is looking for because deputies “don’t do immigration enforcement.” An LASD resource guide also states that, “deputies do not ask about immigration status during routine interactions.”
What can LASD do about ICE activity near the station?
Marchena said that LASD cannot interfere with federal agents’ law enforcement activities, including immigration enforcement, even as the station and surrounding county property has been designated an “ICE-free” zone.
“It’s obstruction for us to go out there and try to grab that person and hide them,” Marchena said.
The sheriff’s station is part of the East Los Angeles Civic Center, a county campus that also includes Belvedere Park Lake, the East LA Library and various other public and government offices. The campus is designated an “ICE-free” zone, a policy that ensures county property is “not used as staging areas, processing locations, or operations bases for unauthorized civil immigration enforcement.”
Recently, community members have raised alarms after spotting ICE agents in the East LA Sheriff’s Station parking lot. During a recent barrio walk at Belvedere Park, organized by social justice group Centro CSO to inform residents about their rights, Gabriel Quiroz said deputies had placed yellow tape around the station.
“Why can’t they do that when ICE is here?” Quiroz said.
Residents have called into the station to report the activity, Marchena said, but by the time sheriff’s deputies investigate, the agents are no longer there. Marchena also said that signage designating the location as an “ICE-free” zone has not been installed, and that LASD cannot enforce the policy until the signs are posted, as required under the ordinance.
Residents question what more can LASD do
Marchena acknowledged the fear and distrust that can come from community members seeing videos or news reports about the ICE activity happening near the station. “We know a lot of people, they’re afraid to call us,” Marchena said.
One resident said more should be done by LASD to ensure residents feel safe when they have an emergency.
“I feel for you guys, but you have to realize all of this goodwill you’re trying to build in the community is going out the door because the perception that you guys had ICE standing outside your doors makes people feel fearful of you,” Armando Madrid said at the community meeting this week.
“I don’t know the answer for you, but I wish you guys would think more deeply to mitigate the influence of ICE around you,” Madrid told Marchena.
“It’s a complex problem,” Marchena replied. “… We’re, as law enforcement, kind of caught in the middle of that because we’re trying to do the day-to-day business of keeping the community safe and while we’re doing this, we have this issue of maintaining the public’s trust.”
LA Documenter Andrew Lopez contributed reporting for this story. LA Documenters trains and pays LA residents to take notes at local government meetings around Los Angeles. You can find meeting notes and audio at losangeles.documenters.org
