RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA — A woman who accused three illegal immigrants of stealing her handbag, prompting federal officials to return the housekeepers to Mexico, actually misplaced the purse at a restaurant, an Orange County sheriff’s investigation found.

The Sheriff’s Department is investigating whether at least one deputy violated policy by reportedly handing over the three women to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, damaging relations between Sheriff Mike Carona and immigration activists.

Earlier this week, family members in Orange County said, the women – Yolanda Gonzalez, Gloria Santacruz and Carmen Fernandez – paid smugglers about $3,000 each to bring them back to the county.

The developments came as officials with the Mexican Consulate in Santa Ana hope to set up a meeting with Carona to discuss the incident, which immigration advocates said has had a chilling effect in the community.

“If they were non-Latino, they wouldn’t have been asked for residency,” said Amin David of the Latino-advocacy group Los Amigos of Orange County. He said the “horrible aspect” of the case was that immigration authorities were brought into it, and that it was made worse by the fact that the woman found her purse. David said the case was a “domino effect” from anti-immigrant feelings.

The incident highlights a tug of war between two groups – one that believes illegal immigration hurts this country and another that sees a place for undocumented immigrants in American society. The episode is a microcosm of a higher level of tension that’s playing out in Congress and on the streets on Monday.

The case began April 12, when deputies went to a Rancho Santa Margarita home after the woman called to report a stolen purse and wallet. While the deputies were there, Border Patrol officials showed up and took the housekeepers into custody. Border Patrol authorities said someone at the Sheriff’s Department made the call.

What happened that day seems to be against department policy. Deputies who encounter illegal immigrants accused of crimes usually file a report that is forwarded to immigration officials. Deputies cannot contact federal authorities without the approval of two supervisors.

Sandra Valdez, an Orange resident who has been following the case, said she left a telephone message with Carona to complain about the department’s policy. She said immigration authorities should have been called regardless of the purse’s being found.

“If they’re here illegally, they should’ve been deported anyway,” she said. “The deputy was doing his job in enforcing immigration policy.”

Sheriff’s spokesman Jon Fleischman reported Friday that the purse had been found but said he didn’t know the details.

Yolanda Gonzalez’s daughter Miriam Elizalde said the incident imposed unnecessary economic and emotional hardships on her family.

“I want her to apologize,” Elizalde said of the accuser, whose name has not been released. “She knew what she was doing.”

Elizalde said her mother told her that deputies called immigration authorities to find someone to translate for the three women.

Lucy Galan, who supervises the trio at Maid Brigade in Irvine, said in an earlier interview that she went to the home and helped translate.

Galan said the two deputies asked for identification and green cards right away.

“You can’t trust the cops anymore,” Elizalde said. “If they can get away with this and the Orange County sheriff can’t do anything, then (deputies) can do anything they want. No wonder everyone is scared of them.”

Consular officials aren’t the only ones hoping to speak with the sheriff. David of Los Amigos said he also would like to schedule a meeting.

Contact the writer: (714) 796-7829 or ccarcamo@ocregister.com