Sanctuary Cities Sought to Protect from ICE Nearly 18,000 Criminal Illegal Aliens Last Year
Immigration and Customs EnforcementICE
John Binder5 Mar 2026180
Sanctuary jurisdictions across the United States last year refused to honor nearly 18,000 Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainers on criminal illegal aliens in their jails, outgoing Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem revealed this week.
During a House Judiciary Committee hearing, Noem revealed that in 2025, sanctuary jurisdictions refused to honor 17,864 detainers on illegal aliens that had been arrested for local crimes.
ICE detainers are requests to local law enforcement that federal agents be notified when an illegal alien is to be released from custody. The goal is to ensure that agents can arrest an illegal alien in the safety of a jail rather than on the streets of American communities.
The figure shows the extent to which sanctuary jurisdictions, particularly sanctuary states like California, New York, and Illinois, are working to shield illegal aliens from federal immigration law.
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2026/03/05/sanctuary-cities-sought-to-protect-from-ice-nearly-18000-criminal-illegal-aliens-last-year/
