The Angry Poodle column of August 13 is unfair to Sheriff Bill Brown, both in terms of his actions during the recent immigration crisis and his historical positions on the subject. All of California law enforcement have been blindsided by the actions of federal immigration enforcement officers. I believe that while their objectives are wrong and their tactics are deplorable, nothing they are doing is illegal.
Sheriff Bill Brown and most of the sheriffs in California have met with federal officials and conveyed their concerns about the lack of communication, the lack of uniform standards for both apparel and equipment, and the haphazard ways in which the raids are conducted. Federal actions have severely damaged the trust built up between local law enforcement and the communities they serve. The current situation has two root causes, both based on performative theater rather than serious policy discussions.
First, the Trump administration departed from its stated objective of deporting the “worst of the worst.” Given that there are over two million people with federal deportation warrants in the system, there is a clear opportunity to go after people who have already had their day in court and been afforded due process. The reported decision to depart from that perspective to achieve a stated goal of apprehending 3,000 people per day changed the enforcement protocols and created the level of chaos we currently see.