Two OC Staff Placed on Leave Amid ICE Probe

The Orange County Sheriff’s Department placed a deputy and a Sheriff’s Special Officer on administrative leave while investigating whether they violated department policy or California law by communicating with ICE before agents arrested a man outside the county jail on Halloween. Surveillance footage shows the employees approaching an unmarked SUV occupied by agents; ICE agents later arrived in a second vehicle and detained the man in a public courtyard. The man was identified by family as 69-year-old Jesús Esparza, who was visiting his son at the jail; his daughter said he had no criminal record and had lived in the United States since 2000. California’s Values Act generally limits local law enforcement assistance with federal immigration enforcement, subject to exceptions. Sheriff Don Barnes said the department does not enforce federal immigration law and that personnel found to have acted unlawfully or against policy would be held accountable. Immigrant advocates have reported ICE activity near local jails, including people being stopped and racially profiled.