The San Francisco Sheriff's Office admitted Monday that two of its deputies violated the city's sanctuary policy last week at two jails, allowing immigration agents to talk to inmates.
Public Defender Jeff Adachi said when he found out ICE agents were in two city jails, he called Sheriff Vicki Hennessy.
Under city and state sanctuary laws, deputies are not supposed to work with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials. In both cases, deputies allowed ICE agents access to interview rooms inside the jails.
One inmate spoke with an agent; the other refused.
In a statement Monday, Hennessy said the deputies made a mistake. Adachi said it's an alarming error.
"I took her at her word, but it's concerning we have deputies at the jail who don't know San Francisco is a sanctuary city and not suppose to cooperate with ICE," Adachi said.
The sheriff's office said it is now reviewing policy at the beginning of each shift for several days. Adachi doesn't know the inmates' names or why they are in jail. He said ICE issued a detainer for one of the inmates.
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Deputies should not contact ICE when the inmate is released, Adachi said. Under San Francisco policy, ICE needs to obtain a warrant signed by a judge to take custody of an inmate being released, he said.
The sheriff's office said an ICE agent tried to get into the jail Monday and was refused entry.
