Human Rights

Kate Steinle's Family Sues Over 'Sanctuary City' Policies

Steinle's family argues the 32-year-old's death could've been prevented had city officials cooperated with immigration officials.

Kate Steinle's Family Sues Over 'Sanctuary City' Policies
Getty Images / Mark Wilson
SMS

A murder case that brought heightened attention to so-called sanctuary cities last year prompted a lawsuit against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Kate Steinle was fatally shot on a San Francisco pier almost a year ago while walking with her father. The man police charged with the murder has multiple felony convictions and is an undocumented immigrant. 

Steinle's family argues the 32-year-old's death could've been prevented had city officials cooperated with immigration officials.

According to a statement from ICE last year, the agency requested to be notified before Juan Francisco Lopez-Sanchez was released from jail, but ICE says that request "was not honored." 

In addition to ICE, Steinle's family is suing San Francisco County's former sheriff and the Bureau of Land Management.

This video includes images from Getty Images and a clip from KGO-TV.