SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - The Latest on (all times local):
5:30 p.m.
The Tunisian national charged with rape at the center of a political tug-of-war between San Francisco and federal immigration authorities had a green card that permitted him to live and work in the United States.
Mohamed Ben Azaza’s attorney emailed a copy of the green card to The Associated Press on Wednesday, hours after he pleaded not guilty to rape charges. Azaza was arrested in Canada over the summer after San Francisco prosecutors charged him with raping a drunken passenger in 2017 while he worked as an Uber driver.
The Department of Homeland Security had demanded San Francisco waive its sanctuary city policy before it extradited him from Toronto to the San Francisco jail. San Francisco’s immigration policy bars city officials from helping federal immigration authorities with deportation proceedings.
On Wednesday, the department dropped its demand.
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12 p.m.
A Tunisian national whose extradition to California to face rape charges was delayed after Homeland Security demanded officials make an exception to the city’s sanctuary policy has been arraigned in San Francisco court.
Mohamed Ben Azaza was in court Wednesday to face charges he raped an unconscious woman passenger in 2017 while working as a rideshare driver.
Azaza was extradited to the United State from Canada hours before city supervisors were to vote on a measure that would meet federal demands that immigration officials be informed if Azaza made bail or was acquitted.
Critics said that would set a bad precedent and weaken sanctuary policies that limit cooperation between local agencies and federal immigration enforcement.
The San Francisco Chronicle reports it appears the feds backed off on the demand and supervisors tabled the motion.
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12:00 a.m.
San Francisco lawmakers won’t have to bend their sanctuary city laws to get a rape suspect extradited from Canada.
Mohamed Ben Azaza was booked into jail early Monday - one day before city supervisors were to vote on a measure that would meet federal demands that immigration officials be informed if Azaza - who’s from Tunisia - made bail or was acquitted.
Critics said that would set a bad precedent and weaken sanctuary policies that limit cooperation between local agencies and federal immigration enforcement.
The San Francisco Examiner and the San Francisco Chronicle say it appears the feds backed off on the demand and supervisors tabled the motion.
Authorities allege that Azaza raped an unconscious woman passenger in 2017 while working as a rideshare driver. He’s scheduled for arraignment Wednesday.
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Information from: San Francisco Chronicle, http://www.sfgate.com
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