According to the Department of Homeland Security, New York, Illinois, and California appear intent on releasing “thousands of criminal illegal aliens back into American communities.”
DHS said Saturday that Illinois and New York have responded to a DHS request about the issue and told the government they won’t support lawful DHS immigration enforcement.
The department said California did not respond.
The issue is whether the states will continue to ignore Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainers.
A detainer is a request to a local jurisdiction that ICE receive advance notification when “criminal illegal aliens” will be released from jail or prison to ensure they can be detained by ICE for immigration enforcement.
DHS said the refusal to honor ICE detainers has led to numerous murderers, rapists, and pedophiles being released back into California, New York, and Illinois communities.
On Friday, ICE delivered follow-up correspondence to attorneys general in the three states, warning of stronger measures if the states don’t comply. The department said the Illinois attorney general’s office refused to accept the letter.
“These dangerous sanctuary policies, often combined with cashless bail for serious crimes, allow criminal illegal aliens to be released back into American communities — threatening the American people’s lives and wellbeing,” Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement.
DHS said despite so-called sanctuary policies implemented in some states and cities, the department in recent months has arrested more than 400,000 illegal immigrants, of whom 280,000 have criminal convictions or pending criminal charges.
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