This ground-breaking decision marks the first time a federal judge in California held that the government must justify detention in initial immigration bond hearings. San Francisco, California — On January 23, 2020, Federal Judge Edward Davila for the Northern District of California ruled that the government’s 2018 bond proceeding for Mario Ixchop Perez, a father...Read More

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

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

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

Sacramento Immigration Coalition, Allies to File Complaint Against the Sacramento Sheriff’s Department for Illegally Handing Local Father to ICE for Deportation SACRAMENTO, CA – On Wednesday, Dec. 4, at 12:30pm, the Sacramento Immigration Coalition (SIC) and allies will host a press conference to file a complaint against the Sacramento Sheriff’s Department in support of Enrique...Read More

SAN FRANCISCO – On November 25, 2019, a San Francisco man, Robert Thomas, was released from the county jail after being wrongfully identified as the perpetrator of an assault. Deputy Public Defender Ilona Solomon, who represented Mr. Thomas, directed the Deputy District Attorney handling the prosecution to compare the photos of the perpetrator with her client,...Read More

SAN FRANCISCO – On Friday, November 15, 2019, a jury found Carlos Gordon not guilty on all counts of assault with a deadly weapon, making criminal threats, and a misdemeanor assault. The jury agreed with the defense that Mr. Gordon’s act of tossing a few decorative pebbles in the direction of a construction worker was...Read More

SAN FRANCISCO – On Tuesday, November 12, 2019, a jury acquitted a homeless man of two felony charges after police pulled him over at gunpoint for riding a stolen motorcycle on Division Street and San Bruno Avenue at 6pm on June 26, 2019. However, he may still serve four years in prison for driving without...Read More