New Santa Ana | Category Archives: immigration

Did Sarmiento vote for the Sanctuary City ordinance in order to protect his own family’s interests?

Posted on March 10, 2017 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, immigration, mexico, Politics, Santa Ana, Vince Sarmiento 5 Comments

Oscar Roberto Urbina

I took a call this week from a young lady who had quite a story to tell. Apparently she was dating a musician named Oscar Roberto Urbina, a 46-year old man who performs in a band called Libertad Chicana. The relationship went sideways and Urbina started to pester her at work. The young lady eventually got a temporary restraining order. Then Urbina showed up at her work, a market in Santa Ana, and he allegedly assaulted her.

Urbina was charged with “Disobeying domestic relations court order” on Feb. 1, and a jury trial has been set for April 7, according to OC Court Case Number 17CM01158. The victim says Urbina is fairly broke but someone paid his $15K bail to get him back on the streets. Continue reading→

Sheriff Hutchens clarifies the OC Sheriff Department’s role in immigration enforcement

Posted on March 10, 2017 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Federal Government, immigration, Orange County, Public Safety, Santa Ana 2 Comments

Sheriff Hutchens Clarifies OCSD’s Role in Immigration Enforcement

SANTA ANA, Calif. (Feb. 25, 2017) – As immigration policy has taken front and center over the past few weeks, debate continues and questions from the public proliferate. As your Sheriff, I do not determine immigration policy, and I will leave discussion on the merits of proposals to the Congress and the President. However, I want to clarify the Orange County Sheriff’s Department’s role in the enforcement of immigration law.

Enforcing immigration law is a federal government responsibility. The Orange County Sheriff’s Department does not play a role in the enforcement of these laws, and it is not part of our primary mission. As we patrol our communities, deputies are focused on criminal violations of state and local law. We enforce these laws equally, without bias, and without regard for one’s immigration status. In carrying out our duties, we do not ask the immigration status of suspects, witnesses, or those who call to report crimes. To reiterate: The Sheriff’s Department will provide for your safety and respond to your call for service without concern for your immigration status. Continue reading→

OC Sheriff Hutchens responds to complaints about Theo Lacy Jail

Posted on March 9, 2017 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, immigration, Orange County, Public Safety, Santa Ana 1 Comment

Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens Responds to Homeland Security Report

Yesterday, a report was released concerning the Theo Lacy Jail. Several things in the report were not accurate and did a disservice to the hard working individuals who operate our custody facilities. Unfortunately, some media outlets choose to cover the report in a sensational manner that painted a misleading “Shawshank-like” picture of Orange County jail facilities.

The report was based on an inspection done by the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General in November 2016. Some legitimate issues were identified in the report and were quickly addressed. Many of the other issues raised were inaccurate and can be refuted. In an effort to provide the public with transparency and a more accurate account of our operations, I have itemized the concerns raised in the report and provided our response (see below). Continue reading→

Councilman Tinajero claims he’s in minority, but he could have broken the tie vote

Posted on March 9, 2017 by Art Pedroza Posted in immigration, Labor, Public Safety, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana 6 Comments

In response to the “Shame on Santa Ana Teacher/Councilman Sal Tinajero for allowing worker layoffs” post, on our
Facebook link Councilman Tinajero now complains: “What?!? I’m in the minority! I don’t have the votes! Your trying to discredit me because you get paid! I refer you to real reporting i.e. Voice of OC, OC Register, LA Times, or New York Times.” Give me a break!!

As was said in the Facebook thread, the vote was tied (3-3) and Sal could have voted to have staff negotiate to keep the contract with ICE and help protect city jobs and keep $7-$8 million in annual revenue. With his vote, it could have been 4-2! (Embarrassed by his comments and actions, Sal had them deleted overnight, but we took a screenshot before he did!)

This may be too late to fix or not, but if city workers get laid off, they will remember who made an effort to help and who did not. Just sayin…

Continue reading→

The Santa Ana City Council is regretfully reconsidering our jail’s ICE contract

Posted on March 7, 2017 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, immigration, Politics, Santa Ana 7 Comments

As we predicted the Santa Ana City Council is having a conniption after President Donald Trump ordered ICE to prematurely cancel their contract with the Santa Ana Jail. This went down after our lame City Council decided to vote to become a Sanctuary City and announced they were going to curtail the ICE contract in a few years.

Trump’s move to cancel the ICE contract in 90 days left the city in the lurch to the tune of $3 million dollars in annual jail-related debt payments.

Now the Santa Ana City Council is actually considering unwinding what they did. Councilman Jose Solorio on Friday placed an item on Tuesday’s Council agenda for “discussion and possible action(s) as they relate to the city’s contract with immigration and customs enforcement (ICE),” according to the O.C. Register. Continue reading→

Pres. Trump cancels Santa Ana’s ICE jail contract, costing the City $340K a month

Posted on February 23, 2017 by Art Pedroza Posted in Federal Government, immigration, Santa Ana 25 Comments

There is a saying that the Santa Ana City Council should have kept in mind when they decided to antagonize President Donald Trump – mess with the bull, you get the horns. And that is exactly what just happened today as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced that they will be terminating their Santa Ana jail contract in 90 days, according to a City of Santa Ana press release.

The Santa Ana City Council had announced last year their plan to terminate the ICE contract by 2020. And this year they voted to become a Sanctuary City – despite warnings that they would lose federal funding. Now that has happened and it is a total disaster. Continue reading→

The Santa Ana Library will screen a documentary about migration from China on 2/25

Posted on February 18, 2017 by Art Pedroza Posted in immigration, Movies, Santa Ana Leave a comment

City of Santa Ana

Community: The Santa Ana Public Library Presents / La Biblioteca Pública de Santa Ana Presenta: Reunification – A Film by Alvin Tsang

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 20, 2017

The Santa Ana Public Library Presents: Reunification, A Film by Alvin Tsang

SANTA ANA – Presented in partnership with the ‘Memories of Migration’ grant project, a special screening of the breakthrough film Reunification will be presented at the Santa Ana Public Library as a free presentation for patrons of all ages on Saturday, February 25 from 1:00-3:00 p.m. The event will take place in Meeting Room A, on the second floor of the library building. Continue reading→

Councilman Sarmiento wants to use public funds to provide legal support to the undocumented

Posted on February 17, 2017 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, immigration, Santa Ana, Vince Sarmiento 10 Comments

For whatever reason Councilman Vince Sarmiento, a lawyer whose family owns and operates a number of somewhat seedy bars in the area, has submitted a proposal to the Santa Ana City Council to essentially use public funds to provide legal counsel to undocumented immigrants, as an 85B item: Continue reading→

Mayor Pro Tem Martinez wants to set up a Review Board to review police force incidents

Posted on February 17, 2017 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, immigration, Police Brutality, Politics, Public Safety, Santa Ana, Vince Sarmiento 5 Comments

Santa Ana Mayor Pro Tem Michele Martinez is proposing at the next Santa Ana City Council meeting that an Independent Review or Citizen Review Board be set up to review police force incidents, procedures and policies and to make recommendations to the City Council.

Martinez has submitted this item to the City Council as an 85A agenda item: Continue reading→

Why is the Santa Ana City Council wasting time opposing Trump while gangs run amok in our city?

Posted on February 8, 2017 by Art Pedroza Posted in Civic Affairs, David Benavides, immigration, Juan Villegas, Santa Ana 2 Comments

Crime in Santa Ana from 2.5 to 2.7.17, courtesy of CrimeMapping.com

The Santa Ana City Council voted 4-2 last night to prepare a resolution condemning President Trump’s executive orders withholding funds from sanctuary cities and barring immigrants from seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the U.S., according to the O.C. Register.

The only Council Members who opposed this pointless measure were Mayor Miguel Pulido and Councilman Juan Villegas. Councilmember Michele Martinez left before the matter was voted upon. Continue reading→

The Sanctuary City of Santa Ana admits to putting $123M in Federal grants at risk

Posted on January 26, 2017 by Art Pedroza Posted in Civic Affairs, immigration, Michele Martinez, Miguel Pulido, Santa Ana 14 Comments

City of Santa Ana, Downtown Orange County

Community: Response to President Trump’s Executive Order on Immigration

SANTA ANA – The Santa Ana City Council, who recently adopted an ordinance solidifying into law a resolution declaring the City of Santa Ana a sanctuary for all its residents, has been confronted by President Donald Trump’s Executive Order that targets what he refers to as “sanctuary cities.” The City of Santa Ana respects the Office of the President of the United States, but respectfully disagrees with President Trump’s Executive Order that would take federal funds away from “sanctuary cities.”

“The safety and well-being of our community is our number-one priority. Santa Ana is committed to equality, and will continue to treat all its residents with respect and dignity,” said Mayor Miguel A. Pulido. Continue reading→

Councilman Tinajero is willing to blow Santa Ana’s $40M rainy day fund in order to remain a Sanctuary City

Posted on January 25, 2017 by Art Pedroza Posted in Civic Affairs, Crime, immigration, Politics, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana 11 Comments

U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order today that will cut some federal money to so-called “sanctuary cities” without defining which funding will be cut or what communities the administration will define as sanctuaries, according to the O.C. Register.

Santa Ana gets about $123 million in federal funds every year – although I heard a report on a radio news station today that the funding is closer to $30 million a year. Santa Ana Councilman Sal Tinajero told that news station that the City of Santa Ana can afford to lose that $30 million a year as we have a rainy day fund with $40 million in it. His comments were also reported by Fox News. Continue reading→

The Santa Ana City Council unanimously passed a Sanctuary City ordinance

Posted on December 21, 2016 by Art Pedroza Posted in Civic Affairs, immigration, mexico, Politics, Santa Ana 4 Comments

The Santa Ana City Council voted unanimously at their meeting last night to adopt an ordinance declaring itself a sanctuary for all residents regardless of immigration status, according to the O.C. Register.

The ordinance means that the similar resolution passed by the City Council at their last meeting is now going to be a city law. And this time everyone on the Council showed up and voted for the new ordinance including new City Council members Juan Villegas and Jose Solorio, as well as Mayor Miguel Pulido. Continue reading→

Should the Santa Ana City Council issue a formal apology to Nativo Lopez?

Posted on December 7, 2016 by Art Pedroza Posted in 2016 Elections, Education, immigration, Mark McLoughlin, Miguel Pulido, Nativo Lopez, Politics, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana, SAUSD 3 Comments

Do you remember Nativo Lopez? He was a Santa Ana School Board member who was recalled in 2003 due in part to allegations that he was impeding the implementation of Proposition 227 in the 62,000-student school system. Prop. 227 was the measure backed by wealthy Republican Ron Unz that put a stop to bilingual education in California. Unz also spent $100,00 to gather the signatures that put the Lopez recall on the ballot.

But in the November General Election this year California’ voters reversed Prop. 227 – by passing Prop. 58 they restored bilingual education in the Golden State. And this week the Santa Ana City Council passed a Sanctuary City resolution. Continue reading→

Poll – should the undocumented be allowed to vote in Santa Ana’s local elections?

Posted on December 7, 2016 by Art Pedroza Posted in 2018 elections, Civic Affairs, Elections, immigration, Politics, Santa Ana 3 Comments

Santa Ana’s City Council members voted 5-0 Tuesday in favor of adopting a Sanctuary City resolution that requires the city to strengthen various policies that already exist to further protect undocumented residents, according to the O.C. Register.

Santa Ana’s Sanctuary City resolution is rather toothless. The City Council could have made this an ordinance as the resolution is not a law. It is more of a P.R. move. Continue reading→