President Donald Trump criticized California Governor Jerry Brown on Twitter Saturday over several pardons he gave on Friday.
Brown granted a total of 14 sentence commutations and 56 pardons, but the president only took issue with the five pardons granted to illegal immigrants.
Governor Jerry “Moonbeam” Brown pardoned 5 criminal illegal aliens whose crimes include (1) Kidnapping and Robbery (2) Badly beating wife and threatening a crime with intent to terrorize (3) Dealing drugs. Is this really what the great people of California want? @FoxNews
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 31, 2018
According to the Sacramento Bee, the five illegal immigrants pardoned were all facing the possibility of deportation. The governor’s pardon means that, unless they commit further crimes, the danger of deportation has passed for the time being.
Brown’s office issued a brief statement regarding the decision to grant the 56 pardons, saying, “Those granted pardons all completed their sentences years ago and the majority were convicted of drug-related or other nonviolent crimes.”
But of the five illegal immigrants pardoned, one was convicted of domestic abuse and a second served five years for kidnapping, robbery, and illegal possession and use of a firearm. Two others were convicted of drug-related offenses and one of automobile theft.
Ingrid Eagly, a professor at UCLA School of Law who represents two of the pardoned illegal immigrants, cheered Brown’s decision. “These are individuals who have turned their lives around and deserve a second chance. Under the current administration, there’s much more of a focus on deportation. More individuals are being picked up and placed into deportation proceedings. There’s also less discretion being exercised by immigration agents on the ground and by immigration prosecutors.”