WASHINGTON, D.C. - This past weekend, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) warned three states that identify as "sanctuary states" to cooperate with the government in deporting undocumented immigrants released from prison or jail after serving time for their crimes.
Those three states are California, New York, and Illinois, according to Reuters.
In a statement, DHS assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin said that the department last week sent letters to Democratic attorneys general of those three states, asking them to help the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency detain criminal illegal immigrants.
Illinois and New York refused to inform ICE that undocumented criminal immigrants are released from jail or prison to be transferred to ICE custody for deportation. California did not respond to the letter.
"These dangerous sanctuary policies, often combined with cashless bail for serious crimes, allow illegal aliens to be released back into American communities, threatening the American people's lives and wellbeing," McLaughlin said.
She said ICE sent follow-up letters to the three states on Friday informing them the agency would seek assistance from the Department of Justice (DOJ) and other federal partners to ensure the states' cooperation.
The office of the Illinois attorney general refused to accept the letter, she said, adding that sanctuary state policies have impeded the federal government's ability to enforce immigration laws.
McLaughlin said DHS had so far arrested more than 400,000 undocumented immigrations, 70% of whom were apprehended by ICE had criminal charges or convictions.
ICE has conducted large-scale enforcement operations in several major U.S. cities, including New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., as part of President Trump's directive on illegal immigration, the New York Post reported.
"ICE detainers ask for something very simple: To notify ICE when criminal illegal aliens are released from jail or prison, to ensure that they go into ICE custody before they are released back onto our streets," McLaughlin said.
"These sanctuary state politicians should do the right thing and side with law-abiding Americans over criminal illegal aliens," she added.
Those three states are California, New York, and Illinois, according to Reuters.
In a statement, DHS assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin said that the department last week sent letters to Democratic attorneys general of those three states, asking them to help the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency detain criminal illegal immigrants.
Illinois and New York refused to inform ICE that undocumented criminal immigrants are released from jail or prison to be transferred to ICE custody for deportation. California did not respond to the letter.
"These dangerous sanctuary policies, often combined with cashless bail for serious crimes, allow illegal aliens to be released back into American communities, threatening the American people's lives and wellbeing," McLaughlin said.
She said ICE sent follow-up letters to the three states on Friday informing them the agency would seek assistance from the Department of Justice (DOJ) and other federal partners to ensure the states' cooperation.
The office of the Illinois attorney general refused to accept the letter, she said, adding that sanctuary state policies have impeded the federal government's ability to enforce immigration laws.
McLaughlin said DHS had so far arrested more than 400,000 undocumented immigrations, 70% of whom were apprehended by ICE had criminal charges or convictions.
ICE has conducted large-scale enforcement operations in several major U.S. cities, including New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., as part of President Trump's directive on illegal immigration, the New York Post reported.
"ICE detainers ask for something very simple: To notify ICE when criminal illegal aliens are released from jail or prison, to ensure that they go into ICE custody before they are released back onto our streets," McLaughlin said.
"These sanctuary state politicians should do the right thing and side with law-abiding Americans over criminal illegal aliens," she added.
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Comments
2025-09-24T18:50-0400 | Comment by: Jan
this isn't about public safety. Yes, with ICE, public safety drives the equation because President Trump understands the horrific harm the invasion has inflicted on American citizens. but the other side, the democrat talking heads in Congress, antifa, the Bolshevik driven tranformation of California into Northern Mexico, do not consider public safety. Victims are collateral damage to their objective, which is to turn the United States into a modern version of Fidel Castro's Cuba. Keep in mind, the democrats, Congress, have been funding the Taliban for years now. Does that sound like your version of public safety vs. my version of public safety? No, it doesn't. The fact is, we are at war. We are in a war. It will continue until the opposition is defeated and/or deported.
2025-09-24T21:31-0400 | Comment by: James
If these SOBs decide to defy Federal Law and even work against the safety of the people of their own states they need to be arrested for knowingly violating their oath of office and put in prison for aiding and abetting an enemy of the US! Go get these traitors NOW!