Residents urge end to ICE 287(g) participation; family asks council to press police for investigation records

Two public-comment items and a council discussion focused on police practices and transparency at the July 9 meeting.

Resident Joseph Paul Mezzanine told the council, “I would like to appeal to my fellow neighbors and to the hardworking members of the PD to discontinue their participation in this program,” referring to ICE Section 287(g). He argued the program risks community trust and could divert police time and overtime into immigration enforcement activities.

Separately, Angeline Moreno, who identified herself as a Sandy Oaks resident, asked the council to help obtain information and records about the investigation into her brother Jonathan Moreno Escobedo’s death (incident date cited as 04/09/2023; life support removed 07/04/2023). Moreno said the family has experienced difficulty getting answers and requested that the council encourage the police to provide legally available records, verify whether departmental policies and accepted investigative practices were followed, and consider an independent review or audit.

Council discussion with Police Chief Alvarez followed: the chief said training for the 287(g) program had been completed and that the department had begun participation. He described the arrangement as “an additional tool for a law enforcement [agency], basically,” and told council the department’s primary obligation remains to provide law enforcement services and public safety to the community. Councilmembers asked the chief to include ICE interactions (calls to ICE or transfers) as a separate line item in future monthly reports so the council and public can monitor the program’s usage.

Why it matters: Participation in 287(g) changes how some immigration-related enforcement tasks are handled and may affect community trust in local policing. The family’s request for records raises transparency and accountability questions about a death investigation.

What’s next: Council asked the police chief for monthly reporting that separates ICE contacts from other activity and pledged to monitor community concerns; the council did not take formal action to change the department’s participation at the meeting.