Bay Area Man Detained Outside Of Jail, But Sheriff Can't Confirm They Were Law Enforcement

SAN MATEO COUNTY, CA — The sheriff is attempting to identify who detained a man after he was released from a San Mateo County jail Wednesday.

On Thursday, the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office said they learned a man who had just been released from the Maguire Correctional Facility was detained by people who appeared to be law enforcement but the sheriff has not determined what agency they belonged to.

"The law enforcement personnel who took the person into custody were wearing exterior ballistic vests and other gear commonly associated with federal immigration enforcement officials, but we have not been able to identify which agency," Corpus said.

The man was detained around 9:30 p.m. on Wednesday on a public sidewalk, police said.

Sheriff’s office personnel weren't involved in the interaction, Corpus said.

"While information is limited, I’m proactively sharing what we do know as part of my commitment to you as the Sheriff of San Mateo County. I understand this situation may cause fear and concern among the community," Corpus said. "I want to reiterate that the Sheriff’s Office has a policy that prohibits coordinating with or providing information to federal immigration enforcement agencies about those in our custody."

Corpus said the SMC Sheriff's Office policy follows state law and explicitly states that they will comply only with judicial warrants.

The sheriff’s office is not a federal agency and they do not enforce federal laws, police said.

Corpus said it is explicitly against policy to share details of the release of an incarcerated person with federal immigration enforcement agencies, but added that they cannot prevent their access to court records and other publicly available information about incarcerated people.

"Since I took office in January of 2023, the sheriff’s office has not turned anyone over to ICE. Our mission is to serve all members of our community, regardless of their immigration status,” Corpus said.

Corpus did not identify the individual or why he was incarcerated at the jail.

The sheriff’s office did not respond to requests for more information. Immigration and Customs Enforcement did not respond to a request for comment.