Letter: Sheriff Mirkarimi responds to Mayor Ed Lee's Call to rescind ICE Contact Policy
SAN FRANCISCO (KTVU) -- San Francisco Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi on Thursday publicly replied to Mayor Ed Lees call on the Sheriff’s Department to end its policy regarding contact with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), stating in a letter that such a chance would raise legal conflicts.
"This tragedy spotlights the need for legal clarity at every government level," the letter from Mirkarimi reads. "This matter requires an open and honest conversation about the legislative intent and meaning of San Francisco's ordinances and how they comport with everyday enforcement of laws leading to deportations."
Earlier this week, Lee publically criticized the Sheriff's Department policy of not communicating with ICE, calling it "a threat to public safety."
In the letter, Mirkarimi says Lee's request to rescind the standing policy "contributes to the confusion and conflict between the Sanctuary City Ordinance and the Due Process For All Ordinance" and urges a resolution of the conflicts "so that there is a consistent and uniform understanding of the laws."