DHS Pressures Newsom to Honor 33,000 ICE Detainers, Citing Jail Lobby Assault on Federal Agents
The Department of Homeland Security is pressing Gov. Gavin Newsom to commit to honoring more than 33,000 active ICE detainers — which DHS pegs at 33,179 criminal noncitizens and says included 4,561 people released statewide since Jan. 20, 2025 — after a Feb. 2, 2026 incident at Ventura County Jail where agents attempting to arrest Jorge Lopez Santos, after the jail declined a detainer, were allegedly surrounded and assaulted by about 15 anti‑ICE protesters. Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin made an on‑the‑record appeal tying the confrontation to the demand, while Newsom’s office replied that California has transferred over 12,000 people to ICE since 2019, including murderers and rapists, and says the state does not "harbor criminals" but aims to protect victims and witnesses.
📌 Key Facts
- DHS says there are 33,179 active ICE detainers in California for criminal noncitizens in local, state and federal custody.
- DHS says 4,561 criminal noncitizens were released into California communities since Jan. 20, 2025 after local agencies ignored ICE detainers.
- DHS describes a Feb. 2, 2026 incident at Ventura County Jail in which agents, forced to arrest Jorge Lopez Santos in the lobby after the jail declined a detainer, were surrounded by about 15 anti‑ICE protesters who allegedly assaulted officers as they tried to take him into custody.
- Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin issued an on‑the‑record appeal to Gov. Gavin Newsom to commit to honoring the 33,000‑plus ICE detainers, explicitly tying the request to the Ventura County confrontation.
- Newsom’s office responded that since 2019 the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) has transferred over 12,000 people — including those convicted of murder and rape — to ICE, and said California does not 'harbor criminals' but seeks to protect victims and witnesses from being 'terrorized into silence.'
📊 Analysis & Commentary (1)
"The piece is a critical take on Gavin Newsom’s electoral weaknesses and argues his sanctuary‑oriented policies and handling of local crises (which have drawn DHS public pressure) have produced a pattern of political vulnerability."
📰 Source Timeline (2)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- DHS now pegs active ICE detainers in California at 33,179 criminal noncitizens in local, state and federal custody.
- DHS says 4,561 criminal noncitizens have been released into communities statewide since Jan. 20, 2025 after local agencies ignored ICE detainers.
- DHS describes a Feb. 2, 2026 incident at Ventura County Jail where agents, forced to arrest target Jorge Lopez Santos in the lobby after the jail declined a detainer, were surrounded by about 15 anti‑ICE protesters who allegedly assaulted officers as they tried to move him into custody.
- Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin issues a fresh on‑the‑record appeal to Gov. Gavin Newsom to commit to honoring the 33,000+ detainers, explicitly tying it to the Ventura County confrontation.
- Newsom’s office reiterates that since 2019 CDCR has transferred over 12,000 people — including murderers and rapists — to ICE, and claims California does not 'harbor criminals' but seeks to protect victims and witnesses from being 'terrorized into silence.'