[posted by Justin Levine]

The San Francisco Chronicle continues to do a stellar job in keeping on top of this important story.

The latest –

San Francisco — With his handpicked juvenile probation chief at his side, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom said today that he is powerless to order that the city turn over underage illegal immigrant criminals to federal officials for deportation.

Instead, Newsom said at a City Hall news conference, the question of what to do with illegal immigrant minors who deal drugs and commit other crimes is one for juvenile court judges, the district attorney and public defender to sort out.

“I don’t have the authority here,” Newsom said as he stood beside Juvenile Probation Director William Siffermann. “I have a bully pulpit. The courts have the authority here.”

Keep in mind that this is the same mayor who somehow determined on his own that he did have the authority to wed same-sex partners without previous court authority. Very rich indeed….

Read the whole thing from the Chronicle here.