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EXCLUSIVE: The Department of Homeland Security once again called for California Gov. Gavin Newsom to keep dangerous criminal illegal immigrants in law enforcement custody, citing a recent incident in which federal authorities were physically assaulted by anti-ICE agitators while trying to take one suspect into custody.
The agency said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has 33,179 active detainers for criminal illegal aliens in California's local, state and federal prisons.
Since Jan. 20, 2025, 4,561 criminal illegal immigrants have been released from law enforcement custody into communities after ICE detainers were ignored, DHS said.
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"We are calling on Governor Newsom and his administration to commit to honoring the ICE arrest detainers of the more than 33,000 criminal illegal aliens in California's custody. It is common sense and vital for public safety," said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.
"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. Seven of the 10 safest cities in the U.S. cooperate with ICE law enforcement."
DHS made a similar call to Newsom last week. The Trump administration has said the willful failure to honor ICE detainers put communities and law enforcement at risk.
At the time, Newsom's office referred Fox News Digital to a post on X, that said, "California cooperates with ICE when it comes to REMOVING CRIMINALS - like sick rapists and murderers - in our state prisons."
Since Newsom took office in 2019, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) has coordinated the transfer of more than 12,000 people, including murderers, rapists and other violent offenders, into ICE custody.
"Contrary to Secretary Noem's claims, California does not 'harbor criminals,'" the governor's office said in a news release. "California law ensures violent offenders are held accountable while also ensuring that victims and witnesses - including victims of domestic violence and human trafficking - are not terrorized into silence by fear of deportation."
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On Tuesday, DHS cited a Feb. 2 incident in which authorities were conducting an operation at the Ventura County Jail in Ventura, California. They were trying to take Jorge Lopez Santos, who had been arrested by local authorities for possession of a controlled substance, possession of unlawful paraphernalia, possession of burglary tools and trespassing, into custody.
ICE lodged an arrest detainer to safely arrest Santos inside the jail. However, the jail refused to honor the detainer, forcing federal agents to make the arrest in the lobby of the jail following his release.
"As law enforcement tried to transfer the illegal alien from the lobby to their custody, 15 agitators gathered outside the jail, surrounded the officers and attempted to prevent the arrest of this criminal," DHS said. "The agitators refused to follow law enforcement commands."
During the confrontation, a female agitator physically assaulted a federal officer, DHS said. She was eventually arrested, authorities said.
Santos was admitted into the United States in November 2021 as a non-immigrant, non-agricultural worker with authorization to remain in the U.S. until Aug. 25, 2022. He then failed to depart the country when his visa expired, authorities said.
