Nonprofit study shows possible economic impact of ICE detentions in Orange County

SANTA ANA, Calif. (KABC) -- The Orange County Sheriff's Department presented Immigration and Customs Enforcement transfer numbers before the Board of Supervisors Tuesday as a local nonprofit released new data on the possible economic impact of ICE detainments in the county.

"We strongly urge you to take a stand against this practice and put an end to ICE transfer in our county," Ana Charco with Latino Health Access told supervisors during Tuesday's meeting.

She was one of more than a dozen Orange County community members who spoke out against the transfer of inmates from sheriff's department custody to ICE.

One of two speakers in favor of the move was Kristen Valle, the president of OC Young Republicans.

"I believe that we should remove all criminal offenders from our communities," she said.

The meeting was part of the Transparent Review of Unjust Transfers and Holds (TRUTH) Act Community Forum. The purpose of the annual forum is to provide information on ICE access to individuals and allow for public comment.

New data released by the Harbor Institute for Immigrant and Economic Justice showed the possible economic loss of ICE detentions in Orange County is in the millions.

According to analysis by the nonprofit's research and policy manager Mai Do, as of January, the Santa Ana Immigration Court has nearly 16,000 Orange County residents with pending deportation cases.

If they were all to be detained, the collective cost of lost labor income would be nearly $162 million and nearly $260 million in economic activity.

"When we're talking about lost labor income, what we really mean is food on the table for families here in Orange County, people being able to keep roofs over their head, afford medical visits ... All the things that we need in life, as well as economic activity," said Do. "Immigrants contribute about 1.6 times the amount that they make in economic activity, things like patronizing local businesses, being participants in the local economy, and so we'll also lose out on so much in terms of business revenue."

Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes told the board his collaboration with ICE in a custodial setting would continue, and said last year, ICE took over custody of 228 people from his department.

OC Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento said it was important to know whether there was a net gain in these transfers.

"If crime decreases, and we're able to show that with clear data, it makes a much more compelling argument to do that, but being the county that transfers the most number of people of all 58 counties in the state without that data really makes if feel like we're being harsh with our immigrant and undocumented community without seeing what the results are," she said.

Though critics argued the practice separates families and creates a distrust in law enforcement.

Barnes, however, disagrees.

He echoed much of what he told Eyewitness News in a sit down interview last month.

"We haven't seen any impact or change in the residents we serve," he said in February. "People who are going to call will continue to call and people still expect a high quality of service, and I believe that we have trust within the communities we serve."

Shortly after his TRUTH Act Forum presentation, ABC7 spoke briefly with Barnes, asking whether he had any plans for public outreach in undocumented immigrant communities to improve their trust in law enforcement.

Barnes said he didn't see a need for that.