SAN FRANCISCO — Gavin Newsom has his work cut out for him: As he positions himself to run for governor, he must persuade Californians that he is more than just the mayor of a famously liberal city, the man who ushered in same-sex marriage.
This week, he has another issue, but it might just make his job a lot harder.
For years, this sanctuary city has been shielding convicted juvenile offenders who were illegal immigrants from federal authorities, either escorting them to their home countries at city expense or transporting them to group homes, often outside the city.
But in recent days, eight young undocumented drug dealers from Honduras who were convicted in San Francisco walked away from unguarded facilities in San Bernardino County. Although Newsom said the city has stopped the practice, news reports of the escapes have created an uproar in the electorally important Inland Empire and shined a national spotlight on this city's singular policies.
On Wednesday, Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-Redlands) demanded that San Francisco officials turn over all convicted illegal immigrant drug dealers to federal authorities instead of shipping them "out to San Bernardino County, where they can escape and victimize the neighborhoods in my district."
In a strongly worded statement, Newsom said Wednesday that he has directed his administration "to work in cooperation with the federal government on all felony cases. And I urge the district attorney, the public defender and the courts to do the same."
Reality, however, might not be that simple. Public Defender Jeff Adachi agreed that all parties involved with these youths need to "meet and confer." But their disposition is "ultimately a judicial determination."
And the public defenders, he said in an interview, "are going to continue to advocate for the child, for our client. If the client doesn't want to go to the feds, that's what we'll be advocating for."
Even though the city's sanctuary status long predates Newsom, all of the conflict and confusion do little for his nascent bid for statewide office and his efforts to define and introduce himself in the less liberal corners of California.
"The criticism and rap on [Newsom] is he's a single-issue" politician, said Barbara O'Connor, director of the Institute for the Study of Politics and Media at Cal State Sacramento. "This is certainly another issue, but it's a core issue for liberal folks. He's already got that corner of the market."
