Denver Sticking To Sanctuary Policy Following Arrest Of Hit-And-Run Suspect Who Was Already Deported Six Times
- Juan Sanchez, an illegal alien who has been deported from the U.S. six different times, was charged with vehicular homicide and fleeing the scene of an accident.
- Denver, which follows Colorado’s sanctuary laws, has reiterated its intention to release Sanchez if he makes bond, and will not conduct a transfer of custody over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
- ICE blasted Denver for its position, noting that individuals with significant criminal histories are able to be released back into the community when local police don’t cooperate with the agency.
Denver officials do not plan on properly cooperating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) if they release an illegal alien who was deported six times before getting arrested for fleeing the scene of a deadly hit-and-run accident.
Juan Sanchez, a Mexican national living in the U.S. illegally, is accused of striking a pedestrian in the Denver area with a vehicle and immediately fleeing the scene. If Sanchez — who lives in a state that largely forbids cooperation with ICE — is able to make bond, his release back into the community could pose another showdown between local officials and federal immigration authorities.
The City and County of Denver reiterated its position on transferring custody of illegal aliens when approached by the Daily Caller News Foundation about Sanchez’s case.
A Colorado woman, Annette Conquering Bear, was running an errand on Dec. 17 when she was abruptly struck by an oncoming SUV while she tried to cross an intersection. The vehicle simply drove away without stopping, according to the Denver Police Department. A witness to the accident flagged down a nearby ambulance, but Conquering Bear was pronounced dead at the scene.
Law enforcement was soon able to locate the vehicle, a white GMC Sierra crew cab truck, and arrest its driver, Sanchez. The 39-year-old Mexican national has been charged with vehicular homicide and fleeing the scene of an accident. Officials set his bond at $500,000.
ICE has since revealed that Sanchez carries an extensive list of immigration violations that spans nearly two decades. Not only is he living in the U.S. illegally, but he has been deported from the country a total of six times: once in 2012, three times in 2008, and twice in 2002. It’s not immediately clear how Sanchez was able to make so many unauthorized re-entries into the U.S., which is a felony under federal law.
Colorado’s state government, which is under the full control the Democratic Party, has become increasingly antagonistic toward federal immigration authorities. Gov. Jared Polis, for example, signed into law in May legislation that prohibits local law enforcement from detaining a suspected illegal alien solely on the basis of an ICE request, prohibits officers from providing an illegal alien’s personal information to ICE, and requires police to read illegal aliens their Miranda rights when coordinating an ICE interview.
Given Sanchez’s repeated violations of U.S. immigration law, the DCNF asked Denver’s government if it would allow for a coordinated transfer with ICE, should Sanchez make bond. The DCNF received the following response:
“Pursuant to the Public Safety Enforcement Priorities Act, when the Denver Sheriff Department receives a request for notification from ICE the inmate is advised of their rights upon receipt and prior to release. We fax Ice notification of release when the individual enters into the release process. It is the responsibility of ICE to take the individual into custody. We do not do any secure handoff and do not participate in the transfer unless an incident would occur that would threaten the safety of the community.”
The statement, provided by the communications director of the sheriff’s department, was noted as the standard protocol for all illegal aliens in their custody.
However, ICE says this policy doesn’t cut it, noting that such a last-minute notification is not “functional.”
“Under federal law, ICE has the authority to lodge immigration detainers with law enforcement partners who have custody of individuals arrested on criminal charges and who ICE has probable cause to believe are removable aliens. The detainer form asks the other law enforcement agency to notify ICE in advance of release and to maintain custody of the alien for a brief period of time so that ICE can take custody of that person in a safe and secure setting upon release from that agency’s custody,” an ICE spokesperson said to the DCNF.
“A notification that an alien is about to be released to the lobby is not a functional way to ensure transfer of custody,” the spokesperson continued.
Should Sanchez be released from custody and ICE is not able to make an apprehension in time, he would be far from the first illegal alien to evade capture from the agency because of local sanctuary policies. Illegal aliens who have been released in defiance of ICE detainer requests have been charged with homicide, child sex abuse, and a host of other crimes across the country.
“When law enforcement agencies can’t honor ICE detainers, these individuals, who often have significant criminal histories, are released onto the street, presenting a potential public safety threat,” the spokesperson added.
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It has become a curiosity that so many citizens care so little for their safety that they continue to support local elected officials who act to protect those in this country illegally and who have committed felonies over and above their own constituents. What guilt and self-hatred must these voters hold in their hearts to so abandon any and all interest in their, and their neighbors’, safety and well-being.
This “sanctuary ” crap drives me crazy!!! Bank robbers are turned over to the feds w/o fanfare or question. Where as a repeat illegal is patted on the popo and told “go forth and create mayhem on the innocent, BS!!! The law is the law and for the life of me I see absolutely NO REASON that these elected officials can’t be arrested for breaking it!! They are criminals !!!
While I’ve found no one that disagrees, I’ve not found any acceptable explanation….other than blaming it on the voters that elected them…Nutz!! It’s pure aiding and abetting a criminal act.
Statistics show that DAILY 1000’s of innocent American citizens are victims of rape, murder, & other violent crimes by ILLEGAL entrants….and coddled by our own elected officials entrusted with protecting us.
Where are the voices of outrage?
These individuals who release the persons should be held responsible for any actions or crimes they commit. That also should include the crime or comes that they were being held. I really believe once the release authority is setting in jail for the released villa. This stupid madness will stop and stop D—-
quick.
LOVE TO READ YOUR COMMENTS ON THIS ONE
Dangerous and irresponsible and yet the People keep voting for those who enact these self serving policies.
We (my wife and I) are “Angel Parents” We lost our youngest son and his fiancée to a three time convicted twice deported illegal WETBACK low life dirt bag felon. I cannot understand how or why elected officials are fine with encouraging these vermin to enter the U.S. then denying our own citizenry the right and ability to defend themselves by proclamation!
What was most tragic this occurred in a LIEberally mandated gun free zone where my son “obeyed the law” and paid for it with his and his fiancée’s lives. I make it a point to NEVER be in a “gun free zone” as I carry no matter if I am in a mandated gun free zone and no one is the wiser.
I see red whenever I hear a “bleeding-heart LIEberal” cry about injustice of “poor law abiding migrants” treated like the scum they are!!! Or how effective disarming law abiding citizens save lives. NONE of them have walked a mile in my shoes
It is said that time heals all wounds, To that I say time doesn’t heal these it doesn’t even attempt to gloss those kinds of wounds over!!!
Our only solace was when justice was served when this dirt bag tried to rob an off duty cop who wasted that POS. This was one of the most gratifying days of my life
Now as if our family hasn’t suffered enough in late October of 2019 My wife’s niece and her two children still live in Commiefornication (the land of the WETBACKS) Her children our grand nieces were walking home from school and were struck by a hit-and-run driver. Broken bones contusions and pavement burns were the result of that hit-and-run event. The driver was caught the next day and turned out he was a WETBACK who had been previously deported.
Needless to say the state of Commiemexico will not take responsibility but will shield this SCUMBAG from being punished. Leaving the “victims” to shoulder the medical expenses!!!
THIS PRACTICE OF PROVIDING SANCTUARY TO CRIMINALS (WETBACKS) HAS GOT TO STOP
When Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) was asked if she was concerned about the killing of Mollie Tibbits by an illegal alien, she said we should focus on the “real problem” the fact that some illegal’s are separated their children at the border.
The fact that Mollie Tibbits has been permanently separated from her parents doesn’t seem to bother Senator Warren the least little bit. What does that tell America?
I am old enough to remember when mentally ill people were put in hospitals not in congress and I would have never believed that I would live to see the day when corruption, sexual assault, pedophilia, and the invasion of America from people from foreign nations would be acceptable to so many!!!!
Sadly the scumbags we have as “Faux Statesmen”, would rather focus on non issues rather than solve the real problems they create. I would not be the least bit surprised to learn that these cartels who deal in wholesale misery to the American people are BRIBING influential politicians into siding with them in order to obstruct and circumvent U.S. Law!!
In my opinion, any illegal who has committed a crime in addition to entering our country illegally needs to see the inside of a jail. Some say we shouldn’t have to pay for their care but guess what? We already are so we might as well know where they are at all times – in jail. Then let someone from their country pay for their release or, if the crime warrants, put him/her in prison like any other criminal. If jails and prisons become crowded send them to Guantanamo, or open up Alcatraz to house them. If they are still crowded, so what. They broke laws so why should we keep bending backwards for their comfort, they’ll still have a roof over their heads? Get tough with them and maybe they’ll quit coming here to begin with.
I thought we have laws that punish people who aided and abetted criminals, why would it also not apply to elected officials in the sanctuary cities?
Send in federal marshals to arrest these municipal officials in charge them with aiding and abetting, if we make a couple of good examples out of these people maybe the rest will see the light.
It’s true that what you allow you will get more of and illegal immigration is a prime example of that!
I’m sure the liberals will cry about the rights of these so-called officials when they are arrested and charged and that would be a good time to remind them that the American people also have rights that these officials have trampled on!
Someone mentioned earlier about the people keep reelecting these liberal sanctuary state officials, you know there’s a reason why liberal Democrats so vehemently oppose voter ID laws, I think many of these people get into their positions because of voter fraud, anytime of voter ID law manages to get past the liberal activist judges presumed to override the will of the people, and that’s another big problem!
Doubling down…on stupidity.