San Diego Sheriff’s Office Denies ICE Detention Request
The San Diego County Sheriff’s Office has declined a request from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain an undocumented immigrant linked to a fatal hit-and-run that resulted in the death of an 11-year-old boy on Thanksgiving morning.
In a statement from the Department of Homeland Security on December 2, they indicated that they sought to detain Hector Balderas Aherol, a Mexican national, who was arrested under suspicion of committing a felony hit-and-run that caused the death of 11-year-old Aiden Antonio Torres de Paz.
A representative for the San Diego Sheriff’s Office informed that they received the detainment request for Balderas Aherol, who is also known as Hector Amador Balderas, on November 29. They conducted a criminal background check, following California law, and subsequently denied the immigration detainer.
The Sheriff’s Office pointed out that they operate under the California Values Act, which explicitly states they do not detain individuals based on federal detention warrants.
According to a report by ABC San Diego, Balderas Aherol was taken into custody on Saturday in connection with the incident involving Torres de Paz in Escondido. It was reported that the child ran into the street after a soccer ball and was struck by the driver, who then fled the scene. Tragically, Torres de Paz succumbed to his injuries in a hospital on Thanksgiving Day.
DHS indicated that Balderas Aherol has been deported from the U.S. on four separate occasions.
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin expressed that Thanksgiving should be a time for family and gratitude, yet instead, Aiden’s family is mourning the loss of their child, who was fatally injured by an undocumented immigrant.
McLaughlin emphasized that Balderas Aherol had re-entered the country illegally after multiple deportations, classifying his actions as a felony. She noted her concern that sanctuary laws could potentially allow him to return to California streets.
In response to McLaughlin’s comments, a spokesperson for Governor Gavin Newsom stated that there is nothing stopping federal agencies from performing their duties in this situation and asserted that the driver should face justice for this tragic event.
The spokesperson added that illegal re-entry into the United States post-deportation is a federal crime, reiterating California’s respect for federal criminal warrants. However, they also noted that California law currently limits local authorities from arresting suspects simply for entering the country unlawfully.
