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U.S. NEWS Saturday 2 November 2019
Groups ask California governor to deter parolee deportations

By DON THOMPSON
Associated Press
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)
— Immigrant rights groups
called Friday for Gov.
Gavin Newsom to end
policies they say ease the
transfer of prison inmates to
federal authorities despite
California’s efforts to pro-
vide a sanctuary to those
who are in the country ille-
gally.
The groups asked Newsom
to stop prison officials from
holding parolees until they
can be picked up by fed-
eral immigration officials.
And they criticized him
for vetoing legislation that
would have barred pri-
vate security companies
from coming onto prison
grounds to pick up immi-
grants for deportation.
California passed a law
in 2017 barring local and
state agencies from co-
operating with federal im-
migration authorities over
those who have commit-
ted certain crimes, mostly
misdemeanors, but critics Immigration advocates rally, calling on Gov. Gavin Newsom to end policies they say encourage the deportation of parolees, at
said it doesn’t apply to the the California Capitol in Sacramento, Calif., Friday, Nov. 1, 2019.
state prison system. Associated Press
Corrections spokesman cept him. The California Su- state should not allow the “private contractors that all for their behavior.”q
Jeffrey Callison said the preme Court last year took federal government to use have no accountability at
department notifies law the rare step of blocking
enforcement agencies of former Gov. Jerry Brown’s
inmates’ release dates if attempt to pardon Ai, who
the agency files a detainer. killed a woman when he
If agents show up with an was 14 years old.
arrest warrant, the inmate “I’m still in that limbo
is released into their cus- stage,” he said, and could
tody. be deported any day.
Many states cooperate Ai said he was once a cell-
with the Trump administra- mate with Cambodian
tion’s crackdown on immi- refugee Tith Ton, who at
grants, but a federal judge age 16 killed a rival gang
last year supported Califor- member and has served 22
nia’s sanctuary law. years in prison.
Newsom has pardoned He was recommended for
several Southeast Asian parole in July, though New-
refugees in an effort to som has not yet decided
keep them from being de- whether to block his re-
ported, but groups includ- lease.
ing the Asian Prisoner Sup- “I’ve seen Tith transform
port Committee and Asian his life,” Ai said. “He’s be-
Americans Advancing Jus- ing punished again” if he is
tice - Asian Law Caucus deported after serving his
say he should do more. time.
His office did not comment Democratic Assemblyman
despite repeated requests. Ash Kalra of San Jose said
Cambodian refugee Bo- he was puzzled by New-
rey Ai told about 100 sup- som’s veto of his bill block-
porters rallying at the state ing private companies
Capitol that he was pa- from picking up paroled
roled in 2016 only to be immigrants whom he said
immediately detained by “have served their time.”
immigration agents for Newsom said the bill might
another 18 months, until interfere with prison op-
Cambodia refused to ac- erations, but Kalra said the