Joseph Russoniello (DOJ)
U.S. Attorney Joseph Russoniello’s tough immigration stance has hampered San Francisco from changing its sanctuary law. Now some hope Russoniello, a Bush-holdover as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California, will be replaced soon and that his successor might have a different take on the sanctuary law, SF Weekly reported Tuesday.
San Francisco city supervisor David Campos has proposed an amendment to the city’s sanctuary law that would prohibit undocumented youths accused of felonies from being reported to federal immigration authorities unless and until they are convicted. However, Mayor Gavin Newsom and Juvenile Probation chief William Siffermann say that without Russoniello on board, they cannot offer more protections to undocumented juvenile suspects.
Immigrant advocates might not have to wait much longer as President Barack Obama is “closer than ever” to nominating Russoniello’s replacement, according to the paper.
Melinda Haag (Orrick)
In February, the FBI began a background check on Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP partner Melinda Haag, signaling her likely nomination.
Russoniello’s immigration stance dates back to the 1980’s when he first became a U.S. Attorney during the Reagan administration. Soon after his appointment to the post, Russoniello launched a controversial investigation into whether non-citizens were being registered to vote. He also has said his office could prosecute church members for giving sanctuary to illegal immigrants, and in a 1989 letter to then-Mayor Dianne Feinstein, he wrote that the sanctuary law was “invalid,” “calculated to confuse” and “may well subject those who implement it to possible federal criminal prosecution.”
While Russoniello is known to take a hard-line on immigration issues, Haag’s position on enforcement is unknown. But some immigration advocates told SF Weekly that anyone other than Russoniello would be an improvement in their view.
“Joe Russoniello is, hands down, the biggest obstacle to even modest due process modifications for juvenile offenders,” one person at City Hall told SF Weekly. “You can’t take threats of federal criminal prosecution lightly, and that’s especially true of a U.S. Attorney who’s been as aggressive on immigration as Russoniello has.”
