San Francisco Sheriff Has Blood on His Hands

 
Kate Steinle and the Author's daughter, Cody Warren

Kate Steinle and the author’s daughter, Cody Warren

Jim Steinle did all he could, but he couldn’t save his daughter’s life. She was senselessly gunned down on San Francisco’s Pier 14 last week by an illegal immigrant who had been deported five times and convicted of at least seven felonies.

It was a father’s worst nightmare. Daddies have lots of roles to play, but the one we take most seriously is protecting our children from harm.

Ask any father. None of us can believe the horror of what that assailant put Mr. Steinle through.

Moments before her death, Kate Steinle had texted a selfie to her mother. She wanted Mom to see her and Daddy having a good time strolling the pier.

And now Kate is no more.

It didn’t have to be.

Last year, San Francisco Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi announced “that effective immediately; the San Francisco Sheriff’s Department will no longer honor U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainers unless they are supported by judicial determination of probable cause or with a warrant of arrest….”

San Francisco is a sanctuary city. Even if one doesn’t agree with it, one can understand the desire to give aid and comfort to immigrants—legal or illegal. Human kindness is a wonderful attribute. We can all relate to charitable acts.

However, the original Sanctuary City Proclamation in 1989 was quite specific: It didn’t apply to criminals.

Over the years, shamelessly pandering for votes, supervisors have watered down the ordinance until Sheriff Mirkarimi placed a permanent bruise on the arm of all citizens by flatly refusing to turn illegal felons over to ICE.

From the San Francisco Chronicle:

“…records obtained by The Chronicle show Mirkarimi later went further than the ordinance. On March 9 — two weeks before Sanchez [the killer] was sent to San Francisco — the sheriff issued an order to his staff banning all holds of inmates for federal immigration authorities.”

“The San Francisco Sheriff’s Department ICE detainer policy is that ICE Immigration Detainers … shall not be booked or honored,” Mirkarimi’s memo said. He shifted from his earlier policies, which allowed detainers in certain serious cases.

ICE was emphatic in its statement regarding Wednesday’s murder. They had this confessed killer in custody and, “as a courtesy,” turned him over to San Francisco Police due to an outstanding warrant. They expressly asked to be notified before San Francisco let him go.

In one of the most callous statements ever made by a public official, Freya Horne, an attorney in the Sheriff’s Department (and clearly not the mother of a daughter), said, “We followed both the city ordinance and our policy, which is that we don’t honor ICE detainers — which are a request, not a legal basis,”

Following Mirkarimi’s dictate, his office let Sanchez go — and as a result he killed an innocent child.

We are in a game of mathematical probabilities here. Random killings occur, from Sandy Hook to South Carolina. Anyone can be run over by a truck any time. Who’s to know the future?

But we can increase our chances of not being shot randomly while on a walk with our fathers simply by taking as many felons off the streets as we can—and deporting immediately any illegal who commits one felony, let alone seven.

This is not anti-Latino, nor anti-immigration. It’s not about the color of one’s skin—it is about consequences for one’s actions.

However, it is personal.

Kate Steinle’s death is not a newspaper statistic to our family. She is our 17-month-old grandson’s godmother.   And it breaks my heart that, because of political chicanery, he will never know her—and she will never hold him again.

Sheriff Mirkarimi, the Supervisors, and Mayor Ed Lee have blood on their hands.

Published in General, Law
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  1. Misthiocracy Member
    Misthiocracy
    @Misthiocracy

    Jeffrey Earl Warren: They had this confessed killer in custody and, “as a courtesy,” turned him over to San Francisco Police due to an outstanding warrant.

    Is anybody asking why ICE would ever extend any sort of courtesy to the police department of a “sanctuary city”?

    • #1
  2. Seawriter Contributor
    Seawriter
    @Seawriter

    His decision will not hurt Sheriff Mirkarimi, the Supervisors, or Mayor Ed Lee one bit.  Sorry, but the citizens of San Francisco want their elected officials concentrating on more important priorities than removing recidivist and criminally violent illegal aliens from society.  What is that compared to tracking down cake bakers and photographers who refuse to provide their services at gay weddings? 

    Seawriter

    • #2
  3. MikeHs Inactive
    MikeHs
    @MikeHs

    I agree completely, and I hope and pray that this madness will be stopped.  Thank you for this clear and forceful argument, amidst terrible grief and loss.

    • #3
  4. user_44643 Inactive
    user_44643
    @MikeLaRoche

    The entire Washington establishment has blood on its hands for favoring foreign criminals over law-abiding Americans and failing in their Constitutionally-mandated duty to secure the border.

    • #4
  5. Seawriter Contributor
    Seawriter
    @Seawriter

    Misthiocracy: Is anybody asking why ICE would ever extend any sort of courtesy to the police department of a “sanctuary city”?

    The answer is simple.  Those running ICE view illegals as a potential source of votes for Democrats. A few dead Americans are a small price to pay in order to see Democrats win elections in their view.

    That is how they interpret Jefferson’s statement that the Tree of Liberty must be renewed with the blood of patriots. Those that die are just necessary sacrifices.

    Seawriter

    • #5
  6. user_1065645 Member
    user_1065645
    @DaveSussman

    I wish each and every politician who have opted for identity PC politics over common sense security could read this.

    Prayers to you, your family and the Steinle’s.

    • #6
  7. drlorentz Member
    drlorentz
    @drlorentz

    My sincere condolences to you and the family. As a parent, I understand.

    • #7
  8. iWc Coolidge
    iWc
    @iWe

    My condolences. May we always seek justice.

    • #8
  9. Ricochet Member
    Ricochet
    @carcat74

    Amidst my anger at the sheriff & his ilk, I grieve with your family.  I said this just recently—build a fence around SF, let out only those who can prove they’re conservative, throw in as many illegals as you can, & weld that sucker SHUT!

    • #9
  10. Black Prince Inactive
    Black Prince
    @BlackPrince

    And Donald Trump is a self-aggrandizing blowhard and a ridiculous buffoon—not to be taken seriously.

    • #10
  11. Pencilvania Inactive
    Pencilvania
    @Pencilvania

    My heartfelt sympathy for your daughter, who lost her dear friend.

    To the family of Miss Steinle — what comfort can one express in the midst of a nightmare? May her memory be cherished forever. It would be wonderful to know more about her, if you feel inclined to write about her – so that we might cherish her too.

    • #11
  12. user_533354 Member
    user_533354
    @melissaosullivan

    My prayers for your family and the victim’s family.  When people make decisions where to visit, perhaps this is important information that must be taken into account.  I certainly will dissuade my daughters from visiting.

    • #12
  13. Max Ledoux Coolidge
    Max Ledoux
    @Max

    My deep sympathy to the Steinle family, and to the Warrens.

    • #13
  14. DocJay Inactive
    DocJay
    @DocJay

    There’s an eternity of God awful tragedies in the world.  When it’s a preventable one close to home, and the people responsible defend their actions,  it’s maddening.  My prayers to all suffering from this.

    • #14
  15. Valiuth Member
    Valiuth
    @Valiuth

    Listen, we all know that people don’t kill people. Guns kill people. Clearly this is the fault of the NRA. So instead of blaming this socially deprived dreamer, who himself is a victim of our rapacious capitalistic system we should remember who is really responsible for all our problems. Bush!

    • #15
  16. Son of Spengler Member
    Son of Spengler
    @SonofSpengler

    When you cater to the cruel and lawless, you cause suffering among the innocent and lawful. This tragedy is not merely an unfortunate occurrence: it exposes the evil and injustice that the Democrats are fostering.

    It’s doubly bad that this is the work of an agent of the law. His actions are lawless — we have a duly elected legislature and a functioning court system. Since when does the sheriff get to decide who should and should not be prosecuted? Since when does the sheriff get to decide which laws are and aren’t valid?

    • #16
  17. Seawriter Contributor
    Seawriter
    @Seawriter

    Son of Spengler: Since when does the sheriff get to decide who should and should not be prosecuted? Since when does the sheriff get to decide which laws are and aren’t valid?

    Since the sheriff is a Democrat.  Remember, there is a precedent of long standing that Democrat sheriffs can enforce the law at their pleasure. Just look at law enforcement in the South during the Jim Crow era. It is the same thing, really.

    Seawriter

    • #17
  18. Retail Lawyer Member
    Retail Lawyer
    @RetailLawyer

    It is San Franciscans who have the blood on their hands, as well as the sheriff, supervisors, and Mayor.  This will have no impact on San Francisco governance or the reelection prospects of all involved.  I have lived there, I work there, believe me, this is just bad luck, in the view of the population of San Francisco.

    And do not let ICE off the hook.  They knew full well what San Francisco would do with this particular “undocumented” felon.  That is why they turned him over to San Francisco in the first place.

    I am very sorry that this tragedy has personally touched you and your family.

    • #18
  19. user_139005 Member
    user_139005
    @MichaelMinnott

    Black Prince:And Donald Trump is a self-aggrandizing blowhard and a ridiculous

    This is the rub.  When the fool turns out to be right, it underscores the folly of those who should know better.

    • #19
  20. Ricochet Inactive
    Ricochet
    @Martel

    When the feds fought Arizona, wasn’t the case based on immigration being a federal issue, that states and localities have no right to make their own immigration law?

    Oh but I forgot, Arizona wanted to enforce federal law whereas San Francisco circumvents it.  So circumventing federal law is in compliance with federal law more than enforcing it.  Whatever works, eh?

    That aside, God bless you and your daughter.  You seem to be handling this ridiculous injustice far better than I think I could.

    • #20
  21. AUMom Member
    AUMom
    @AUMom

    This breaks my heart. I am so very sorry for the Steinle family and yours. Now is the time to mourn.

    Next week begins the campaign to replace the sheriff and the “we followed the rules” crowd.

    • #21
  22. Ricochet Member
    Ricochet
    @JeffreyEarlWarren

    Misthiocracy:

    Jeffrey Earl Warren: They had this confessed killer in custody and, “as a courtesy,” turned him over to San Francisco Police due to an outstanding warrant.

    Is anybody asking why ICE would ever extend any sort of courtesy to the police department of a “sanctuary city”?

    Good point.  Alas, it is corrupt from top to bottom.  No one wants to mention the elephant in the room.  They want to “get along, as opposed to do what’s right

    • #22
  23. Ricochet Member
    Ricochet
    @JeffreyEarlWarren

    Seawriter:His decision will not hurt

    Seawriter

    Sometimes it seems like what you say is true.  How did we get this way?

    • #23
  24. Ricochet Member
    Ricochet
    @JeffreyEarlWarren

    MikeHs:I agree completely, and I hope and pray that this madness will be stopped. Thank you for this clear and forceful argument, amidst terrible grief and loss.

    Thank you for the kind words.  The San Francisco Chronicle did not think it was clear and forceful and refused to print it.

    • #24
  25. Ricochet Member
    Ricochet
    @JeffreyEarlWarren

    AUMom:This breaks my heart. I am so very sorry for the Steinle family and yours. Now is the time to mourn.

    Next week begins the campaign to replace the sheriff and the “we followed the rules” crowd.

    Yes, the family is so classy.  They don’t want this politicized.  They just want to grieve and morn their loss.  They are exemplary.

    • #25
  26. Ricochet Member
    Ricochet
    @JeffreyEarlWarren

    David Sussman:I wish each and every politician who have opted for identity PC politics over common sense security could read this.

    Prayers to you, your family and the Steinle’s.

    Very kind of you.  As I mentioned to another commenter, The SF Chronicle did not think it was fit to print.  I wonder where they stand?

    • #26
  27. Kay of MT Inactive
    Kay of MT
    @KayofMT

    My heart breaks for the Steinle family and your family. Having gone through something similar, I wish I could ease the pain. Prayers.

    • #27
  28. Seawriter Contributor
    Seawriter
    @Seawriter

    Jeffrey Earl Warren:

    Seawriter:His decision will not hurt

    Seawriter

    Sometimes it seems like what you say is true. How did we get this way?

    I wish I knew. Somehow, since the 1960s accountability for one’s actions has disappeared. Who you are is more important than what you do.  There are no consequences for actions anymore.

    Seawriter

    • #28
  29. Seawriter Contributor
    Seawriter
    @Seawriter

    Just to make it hurt more:

    Illegal Immigrant Who Killed Kate Steinle Reportedly Used Federal Agent’s Gun

    Like I said, there is no accountability anymore. Protecting the members of your tribe is more important than holding them accountable for what they do.

    Time to review The Gods of the Copybook Headings again.

    Seawriter

    • #29
  30. Son of Spengler Member
    Son of Spengler
    @SonofSpengler

    I am torn about the proper response. On the one hand, it seems right to wait until the grieving has moderated, so as not to lose sight of the victim(s). It’s Democrats who exploit tragedy for political gain. On the other, Democrats have shown that the way to mobilize public opinion is to tap into people ‘s emotions when the event is still raw. Would it not be a testament to Kate’s memory if her death led to more deportations of violent felons, and fewer innocent deaths? Maybe we do need to start talking about the policy goals now, not later.

    • #30
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