More than 4,500 criminal migrants freed in California since Trump inauguration

TLDR:

• California has released 4,561 migrants with criminal records since Jan. 20 despite federal deportation requests, including those facing homicide and sexual predator charges
• DHS says 33,000 more criminal migrants remain in California custody with pending deportation detainers
• Gov. Newsom’s office claims the state cooperates on removing dangerous criminals from state prisons
• The dispute highlights the ongoing clash between sanctuary policies and federal immigration enforcement

California has released more than 4,500 migrants with criminal records back into communities since President Trump took office, ignoring federal requests to turn them over for deportation, the Department of Homeland Security said Friday.

The releases included 31 homicide cases, 234 sexual predator cases and 661 assault cases, according to DHS.

“Criminal illegal aliens should not be released from jails back onto our streets to terrorize more innocent Americans,” said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.

But Mr. Newsom’s office pushed back, saying California does cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement when removing dangerous criminals. The office pointed to data showing the state has honored 10,588 detainer requests since Mr. Newsom took office in 2019.

“California cooperates with ICE when it comes to REMOVING CRIMINALS — like sick rapists and murderers — in our state prisons,” the press office said.

DHS said more than 33,000 migrants with ICE detainer requests remain in California custody, facing charges including 399 homicides, 8,380 drug offenses and 1,293 sexual predator cases.

Federal officials asked Mr. Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta to work with ICE on turning over the migrants.

Read more:

• DHS tallies all the criminal migrants California let go from prisons, jails since Trump took office