Jail posts ICE figures

Costa Mesa jail’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent interviewed nearly 100 prisoners and detained almost 40 of them in April, ICE officials said.

The numbers indicate Costa Mesa authorities are almost, if not already, back in full force since the jail re-opened full time in March after months of renovations.

The city’s ICE agent detained 37 prisoners out of 98 prisoners interviewed, ICE officials said. Three of the detainees were arrested in an April 23 drug bust in which police found more than 23 pounds of marijuana and $26,000 in cash in an apartment.

The agent usually detains about 40 of 100 inmates a month when the jail is fully operational, Sgt. Mark Manley said in February when the jail was shut down.

“I think the community is glad our police facility is back on track,” Mayor Eric Bever said.

Costa Mesa’s jail was shut down part time in December for renovation, then shut down altogether in January to speed up the process. The jail had fire sprinklers installed and was reopened in mid-March.

A brief closure in April means April’s numbers may not be as indicative of immigration enforcement as available, Sgt. Bryan Glass said.

“May, June, July will give you an accurate assessment of what the numbers are,” Glass said.

When the jail is shut down most inmates are sent to Orange County Jail where they are screened by one of the jail’s several ICE agents, police said.

“This continues to show how [ICE] remains effective in making the community safer,” Councilman Allan Mansoor said. “If there are some people who still oppose this, that just boggles my mind.”

JOSEPH SERNA may be reached at (714) 966-4619 or at [email protected].