The City of Oakland, Washington, is at the center of a federal investigation into its compliance with a federal statute related to immigration enforcement.
The Department of Justice sent a compliance letter to the City of Oakland, raising concerns about laws, policies, or practices that may violate 8 U.S.C. § 1373, a federal statute that promotes information sharing related to immigration enforcement.
The letter also mentions that failure to respond, respond completely, or respond in a timely manner will be subject to a subpoena.
Additionally, the Justice Department sent letters to the City of Seattle, Washington, and the State of Vermont, demanding the production of documents that could show whether each jurisdiction is unlawfully restricting information sharing by its law enforcement officers with federal immigration authorities.
When asked for comment, Attorney General Jeff Sessions stated, ‘When cities and states enact policies that thwart the federal government’s ability to enforce federal immigration law, they choose to place the protection of criminal aliens over the safety of their communities.’
The Justice Department periodically reviews the laws, policies, or practices of jurisdictions that previously certified compliance with section 1373 as a condition of their FY2016 Byrne JAG awards.
Failure to comply with 8 U.S.C. 1373 could result in the Justice Department seeking the return of FY2016 grants, requiring additional conditions for receipt of any FY2017 Byrne JAG funding, and/or jurisdictions being deemed ineligible to receive FY2017 Byrne JAG funding.
Defendant: The City of Oakland, Washington
Crime: Failure to comply with 8 U.S.C. § 1373
City and State: Oakland, Washington
Date: Not specified
Outcome: Under investigation
Dollar amounts: Not applicable
Key Facts
- State: Washington
- Category: Public Corruption
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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