As Congressional Democrats push to defund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), there’s a growing concern that this is endangering American lives. Reports indicate that illegal immigrants with criminal backgrounds, including those guilty of serious offenses like pedophilia and murder, are being released. A spokesperson for DHS criticized leaders of sanctuary states, calling their actions “dangerous derangement.”
The spokesperson specifically called out California Governor Gavin Newsom, who is speculated to be eyeing a presidential run in 2028, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, and Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey. They highlighted that these governors are endangering communities by releasing dangerous individuals. They also mentioned that seven out of the ten safest cities in the U.S. collaborate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), appealing to the Democratic governors for cooperation: “Together, we can make America safe again.”
The DHS claims that there are over 33,000 criminal illegal aliens currently in California custody. Allegedly, some of them, despite having criminal histories, have been released even while in ICE custody. One such individual, Hector Grijalva Cernas from Mexico, had been arrested for lewd acts with a minor and was released last year despite ICE’s efforts to keep him detained. He is now in federal custody.
Another example is Xujin An from China, who faced charges of sexual assault and was detained by ICE but allegedly had a history of disrespecting the process. Meanwhile, Angel Navarro Camarillo, a member of the La Familia street gang, was arrested on sex crime charges but was released prior to being taken into ICE custody.
In a separate case, Carmelo Collado Hurtado from Guatemala was expelled from the U.S. after being convicted of violent crimes, including murder. Similarly, in Illinois, undocumented immigrant Jose Manuel Fuentes Vargas was arrested following a conviction for sexual assault against a minor and is now in ICE custody.
This situation has gained further attention amid the recent murder of Loyola University Chicago student Sheridan Gorman, allegedly by an illegal immigrant, Jose Medina Medina. It’s reported that Medina entered the U.S. during the Biden administration and already had a criminal record before his murder charge. He has been formally charged with six felonies, including first-degree murder.
In response to the tragedy, a spokesperson for Pritzker offered condolences to Gorman’s community, emphasizing accountability for violent crimes. The spokesperson also criticized the Trump administration for politicizing these incidents instead of working towards practical solutions and restoring federal funding for violence prevention efforts.
