Inmates No Longer Held On Immigration Hold Without Federal Warrant

The Santa Barbara County Jail used to hold undocumented inmates for 48 hours to allow customs agents to pick them up and deport them.

That policy changed in the wake of an April Federal Court ruling in Oregon. The judge ruled that immigration holds were unconstitutional without Federal warrants.

Since late May, undocumented inmates have been released into Santa Barbara County after serving time in jail for their crimes.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have requested hundreds of holds, but now they have to go before a judge to get a warrant in each case.