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A county sheriff in California says the state’s sanctuary law puts the public in danger by preventing him from working with federal immigration enforcement to deport criminal illegals.
“My greatest concern,” said Amador County, California, Sheriff Gary Redman, “is that one of these individuals may reoffend and cause another preventable tragedy such as Laken Riley.”
The Amador County sheriff appeared before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement on Tuesday to testify to the negative effects of California’s pro-illegal alien sanctuary laws and told the committee that local prosecutors have even reduced charges for the illegals his officers arrest merely because he had publicly stated that he opposed sanctuary laws and would work with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as often as state law allowed him to do so.
During his comments, Sherif Redman said that in 2024 he arrested an illegal migrant who was accused of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl. But the man’s charges were reduced and he was released, allegedly just to punish the sheriff.
The sheriff said after the arrest and the suspect’s prosecution in county court, he was informed that the man “had entered into a plea agreement negotiated by an Amador County Deputy District Attorney. The agreement reduced the case to a misdemeanor offense with credit for time served and a suspended probation sentence. I was advised that the plea agreement was structured, at least in part, because of my publicly stated position regarding cooperation with ICE and the likelihood that ICE would be notified upon his release.”
California enacted Senate Bill 54 (SB 54) nearly a decade ago to hamstring state law enforcement from working with ICE. It prevents state law enforcement from relaying information about criminal illegals to ICE and also bans officials from informing ICE about the location and status of illegals.
The sheriff added that his biggest fear is that state sanctuary laws will force him to release a suspect who will then go on to greater crimes, such as the murder of innocent Laken Riley, who was murdered by an illegal migrant from Venezuela in Georgia in 2024.
“My greatest concern,” Sheriff Redman said as he concluded his testimony, “is that one of these individuals may reoffend and cause another preventable tragedy such as Laken Riley. In my view, public policy should prioritize accountability for criminal offenders, protection for victims, and the safety of law-abiding citizens. I believe it is long overdue that we place greater emphasis on victims’ rights, hold offenders accountable, and ensure that public safety remains our highest priority.”
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