Immigration Courts Move Bay Area Immigration Cases from San Francisco to Southern California San Francisco and Alameda County Public Defenders condemn decision to remove detention cases out of San Francisco as interfering with their ability to defend detainees, demand transparency and seek a halt to recent decision San Francisco, California — The Trump Administration announced this week...Read More
SFPD officers who shot Jamaica Hampton have been assigned back to active duty By Julian Mark – Mission Local – Jan 17, 2020 The two San Francisco Police officers who shot Jamaica Hampton, a man armed with a glass bottle on Mission and 23rd streets in December, critically injuring him, are returning to regular duty,...Read More
Trump administration abruptly moves hundreds of immigrant hearings out of San Francisco Attorneys representing detained immigrants fear move will in effect deny legal counsel to thousands By Darwin BondGraham – The Guardian U.S. – Jan. 17, 2020 Northern California immigration attorneys are reeling after learning of a controversial Trump administration decision to move hundreds of...Read More
SAN FRANCISCO – On Monday, January 6, 2020, a jury acquitted Vihn Tran, 38, of felony charges related to a nighttime attack near Union Square in October 2018. Deputy Public Defender Seth Meisels presented evidence undermining the identification of Tran during what Meisels called a poorly run investigation by the San Francisco Police Department. After...Read More
Trans woman sues after surprise Christmas move to Texas ICE facility By John Ferrannini – Bay Area Reporter – Jan. 6, 2020 The San Francisco Public Defender’s office filed a lawsuit in federal court January 3 on behalf of a transgender woman who is fighting deportation. Lexis Hernandez Avilez, 41, was brought to the United...Read More
How ICE treats transgender people — a horror story Court filing says Salinas woman has been denied medicine, appropriate clothing, and access to lawyer after being unexpectedly moved from Yuba County to Texas. By Tim Redmond – 48Hills – January 5, 2020 Lexis Avilez thought she was going home on Christmas. It seemed, she later...Read More
SF Public Defender’s Office Takes on ICE Over Transfer of Client to Texas By Michelle Wiley – KQED – Jan. 4, 2020 The San Francisco Public Defender’s Office is requesting an immediate hearing to have a transgender woman, who was transferred out of California on Christmas Day, released or returned to the state. The public...Read More
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 3, 2020 SF PUBLIC DEFENDERS FILE RESTRAINING ORDER AGAINST I.C.E. FOR CHRISTMAS NIGHT TRANSFER OF TRANSGENDER IMMIGRANT DETAINEE TO TEXAS, WHERE SHE IS BEING HELD IN ISOLATION SAN FRANCISCO, CA — On Friday, January 3, 2020 the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office filed a Motion for Temporary Restraining Order against Immigration...Read More
SAN FRANCISCO – Today, on December 4, 2019, the San Francisco District Attorney dismissed all charges against Jose Ines Garcia Zarate, who was accused of murder and other charges relating to the tragic death of Kate Steinle in July 2015. It took the criminal justice system four and a half years to reach this conclusion,...Read More
When an SF man was kicked out of a residential treatment program for taking a cookie without asking, Drug Court gave him two choices, go back and start all over again or spend six months in county jail. He chose jail. SAN FRANCISCO – On Monday, December 2, 2019, Gregory Fields, 42, was remanded to...Read More
