DHS: California Released Nearly 24,000 Criminal Illegal Aliens After Refusing ICE Detainers
Washington — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on November 2 issued a statement condemning California sanctuary politicians for refusing to honor U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainers, saying California has released nearly 24,000 criminal illegal aliens from jail back into American communities since January 20, 2025.
DHS said the non-honored detainers are associated with more than 81,000 criminal charges or convictions, including 169 homicides, 147 sexual assaults, 1,088 drug trafficking charges, 1,097 assaults and 3,295 burglaries.
"Governor Gavin Newsom and his cronies in California have turned the Golden State into a hotbed of illegal alien crime. Sanctuary politicians have not only refused to cooperate with federal law enforcement to target and arrest the worst of the worst — but they've released nearly 24,000 criminal illegal aliens onto the streets of California to terrorize innocent Americans," said DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin. "California sanctuary politicians have repeatedly chosen to ignore ICE detainers for illegal aliens in their custody, and released murderers, child abusers, kidnappers, and gang members back onto the street. Newsom and his fellow sanctuary politicians may continue trying to harbor illegal alien murderers and child abusers, but the Trump Administration will always put the American people first."
DHS listed people it said were released after ICE detainers were refused. In Los Angeles County, Ursulo Montenegro Martinez, from Mexico, whose convictions include negligent manslaughter with a weapon, narcotics offenses and illegal entry, was released after ICE lodged a detainer on June 23, 2025; Taron Gorgoyan, from Armenia, convicted of voluntary manslaughter and other offenses, was released after a detainer lodged on March 6, 2026 was refused; and Salvador Jesus Serpas-Hernandez, from El Salvador and a Rebels 13 gang member, convicted of murder and cruelty to a child, was released after a detainer lodged on April 1, 2026 was refused. Also released in the county were Noe Silva-Cervantes, an Inglewood 13 gang member convicted of attempted murder and robbery, and Javier Balbuena Fernandez, from Cuba, convicted of second-degree murder.
In other counties, San Francisco County released Carlos Alberto Amaya-Velasquez, from El Salvador; Sacramento County released Samuel Darling Cruz Florino, from Mexico, convicted of voluntary manslaughter, assault with a deadly weapon and kidnapping; Amador County released Ahmed Elgehmbri, from Libya, convicted of attempted murder and firearm assault; Contra Costa County released Jose Perez Chaparro-Chaparra, from Mexico; and San Mateo County released Wilber Ismael Ortez-Ramos, from El Salvador, who has arrests for murder and cruelty to a child. DHS said the ICE detainers in those cases were lodged between April 2025 and June 2026 and were not honored.
DHS also cited other cases it linked to California sanctuary policies, including crashes and cases in California and in Ohio, Utah, Indiana, Nebraska, Oregon and Florida involving drivers who had received commercial driver's licenses from California's Department of Motor Vehicles, and Governor Newsom's February pardon of Somboon Phaymany, from Cambodia, who had been convicted of attempted murder and assault with a firearm.
(Source: U.S. Department of Homeland Security)
Source: U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：位于华盛顿的美国移民及海关执法局总部大楼正面。G. Edward Johnson 摄，CC BY 4.0，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Photo: Front of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement headquarters in Washington. Photo by G. Edward Johnson, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
