It has been revealed that Santa Clara County, California, released more than 500 criminal illegal migrants from jail without notifying Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in 2025. The data obtained through a public records request by America First Legal (AFL) shows that the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office refused to honor a single ICE detainer and released illegal migrant subjects charged and/or convicted of crimes back into the community to potentially reoffend.

“Since January 1, 2025, the sheriff’s office has received 529 detainer requests. None have been honored,” the sheriff’s office told AFL in an email.

California’s sanctuary laws prohibit local and state law enforcement agencies from cooperating with federal authorities on immigration issues. According to the California Values Act (CVA), local law enforcement agencies are not required to honor ICE detainers. ICE detainers are official requests from ICE to hold an individual in jail until federal officials can arrest them, rather than releasing criminal migrants facing deportation back into the country.

There are a few, although rare, exceptions to the CVA for migrants accused of major offenses. ICE and Trump administration officials, including Border Czar Tom Homan, have maintained that states’ noncompliance with ICE detainers poses a serious risk to public safety. There have been many such cases of migrants being released who have gone on to commit serious crimes, such as child sex abuse and murder.

Additionally, immigration officials have asserted that it’s safer for the community when federal officers are able to make apprehensions straight from the jail cell.

California joins several other Democratic-run states that do not honor ICE detainers, such as Oregon, Washington, Illinois, Colorado, Vermont, and New York.

The state of Oregon has recently been accused of releasing dozens of public safety threats from jail without notifying ICE, resulting in the launch of a federal investigation. This includes illegal migrants charged with kidnapping, child sex crimes, manslaughter, domestic violence, and the list goes on. Earlier this year, Oregon Democrats voted against an amendment to its Sanctuary Promise Act, which would have allowed local law enforcement agencies to honor ICE detainers.

Members of the public can report immigration-related crimes or suspicious activity by calling (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.