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Sonoma County Sheriff Settles Immigrants' Lawsuit

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Sonoma County authorities have agreed not to volunteer information about people arrested solely on traffic violations to federal immigration authorities as part of a lawsuit settlement.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California said Wednesday that the county sheriff's department would cease participating in field operations with Immigration and Customs Enforcement unless agents refrained from making arrests solely based on immigration status.

The ACLU says the department also agreed not to volunteer information to ICE about people being held solely on traffic violations or for driving without a license.

The ACLU sued the county in 2008 with the Committee for Immigrant Rights of Sonoma County alleging unlawful detentions and racial profiling of Latinos.

Sheriff Steve Freitas says the settlement puts on paper what the department's practice has been.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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