Last week the Vanguard broke the news that a man had been arrested by ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) in the Sacramento Courthouse. His defense attorney, Chuck Pacheco, has agreed to speak about the incident at our event on October 27.
Chuck Pacheco told the Bee, “This will turn the judicial system on its head.”
He said that he asked Superior Court Judge Lawrence Brown to step in, and “Brown placed Ontiveros-Cebreros in the area behind the bar that’s designated for defendants who are in custody before proceeding to hear another 10 cases.
“The judge was weak – he had no control of his courtroom, and allowed the federal government to come into his court,” Mr. Pacheco said. “He (Brown) just wanted to neutralize the situation, so he could figure out what was going on, and then he felt that it was justified that the (ICE) guy said there was a warrant for illegal re-entry.”
Like many, Chuck Pacheco believes this will have a chilling effect on courts across the state.
Immigration is a huge issue this year on a number of fronts and the advent of ICE agents in the courthouse is simply the latest twist. Already we have seen seen:
- The issue of family separation at the border
- The issue of the ORR (Office of Refugee Resettlement) program and the detention of children refugees
- The latest murder in Iowa has now revisited the issue that was first raised in the Kate Steinle killing and the trial of Jose Zarate that ended in his acquittal.
Now we have the ICE issue.
On October 27, the Vanguard will focus on now three of these issues, but be mindful of the overarching nature of the immigration issue in the legal system.
First, we have Matt Gonzalez, the San Francisco Public Defender who defended Mr. Zarate in the murder trial.
Second, we have Holly Cooper, who has successfully fought for the rights of children in the ORR program and helped to protect their rights.
Third, Chuck Pacheco will talk about this recent incident and ICE in the courtrooms.
The Vanguard’s fundraiser is $50 for general admission, $20 for students and those with hardships (no questions asked), and sponsorships start at $100.
To get your tickets or sponsor the event go to: http://vanguard-immigration.eventbrite.com
Get Tickets To Vanguard’s Immigration Rights Event
