“I am urgently calling on [Newsom] to agree to NOT release the 33,179 criminal illegal aliens in California’s custody back into the public without notifying ICE.”
The Department of Homeland Security is calling on California to not release the 33,179 criminal illegal immigrants currently in state custody into the public without notifying ICE, noting that many of these individuals have been arrested for serious violent offenses.
ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons sent a letter to California Attorney General Rob Bonta urging the state to prioritize public safety and honor ICE detainers for more than 33,000 illegal immigrants held in California jails. According to DHS, those currently in custody include 399 individuals arrested for homicide offenses, more than 1,000 for robberies, 3,313 for assaults, 8,380 for dangerous drug offenses, and 1,293 for sexual predatory offenses.
California has long promoted its status as a sanctuary state, with laws that limit cooperation between local law enforcement agencies and federal immigration authorities. DHS said those policies have led to the release of thousands of criminal illegal immigrants back into the community.
According to the department, 4,561 criminal illegal immigrants have been released by the state since January 20 due to its refusal to honor detainers. Those releases included individuals arrested for “31 homicides, 661 assaults, 574 burglaries, 184 robberies, 1,489 dangerous drugs offenses, 379 weapons offenses, and 234 sexual predatory offenses.”
“Governor Newsom and his fellow California sanctuary politicians are releasing murderers, pedophiles, and drug traffickers from their jails back into our neighborhoods and putting American lives at risk,” Lyons said in a statement.
“We are calling on Governor Newsom and his administration to stop this dangerous derangement and commit to honoring the ICE arrest detainers of the more than 33,000 criminal illegal aliens in California’s custody. It is common sense. Criminal illegal aliens should not be released from jails back onto our streets to terrorize more innocent Americans. If we work together, we can make America safe again. 7 of the 10 safest cities in the U.S. cooperate with ICE law enforcement.”
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem also addressed the issue publicly on X, urging California Governor Gavin Newsom to intervene.
“I am urgently calling on [Newsom] to agree to NOT release the 33,179 criminal illegal aliens in California’s custody back into the public without notifying ICE,” Noem wrote.
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