Orange County Jail employees placed on leave after ICE arrest

The Orange County Sheriff's Department placed a deputy and a security officer on administrative leave after ICE arrested a man outside the Orange County Jail.

The agency said it placed the two employees on leave on Nov. 3 after receiving a complaint that they allegedly communicated with ICE agents. 

Surveillance video footage from OCSD shows the two employees leaving the Intake Release Center and approaching ICE agents parked on a nearby curb on Oct. 31, according to investigators. The Sheriff's Department said their personnel appeared to have a five-second conversation with the agents shortly before more federal agents arrived. 

The video shows agents swarming the public courtyard outside the visitor entrance as the deputy and security officer left. They arrested a man who appeared to be hiding in the courtyard, according to OCSD.

"Securing the border and enforcing immigration law are important federal responsibilities," said Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes. "The Orange County Sheriff's Department does not enforce federal immigration law. That has not and will not change."

The department launched an internal investigation after receiving the complaint.

"I will fully cooperate with ICE to the extent the law allows to prevent serious criminal offenders from returning to the communities they have preyed upon," Barnes said. "Personnel acting outside the law and Department policy will be held appropriately accountable. We will enforce state and local laws equally, without bias, and without concern for anyone's citizenship."