ICE Reveals Illinois Released 1,700 Criminal Aliens Despite Active Detainers [WATCH]

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has alerted Illinois officials that violent criminal illegal aliens are being released from state and local custody despite active immigration detainers, according to a letter shared with Fox News Digital.

.@GovPritzker and his fellow Illinois sanctuary politicians have released 1,768 violent criminal illegal aliens out of jail and back onto the streets of Illinois since January 20. Criminals released include murderers, pedophiles, and kidnappers back into our neighborhoods and… https://t.co/k4Qs39YuhG

— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) December 8, 2025

Todd Lyons, ICE’s senior official performing the duties of director, said Illinois has “tens of thousands of criminal illegal aliens” in custody, including individuals convicted of murder, rape, child pornography, and armed robbery.

Lyons said these offenders “should be swiftly removed from the United States … and not be returned to our streets to wreak havoc on law-abiding citizens.”

ICE data shows that since January 2025, Illinois has released 1,768 criminal aliens who had active detainers.

The agency said the crimes associated with these individuals include homicides, assaults, burglaries, weapons violations, and sexual-predatory offenses.

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ICE also reported that another 4,015 criminal aliens with pending detainers remain in state or local custody.

According to the agency, those cases include individuals connected to 51 homicides and more than 800 sexual-predatory offenses.

The agency provided examples of detainers that were not honored, which required federal officers to locate the offenders after their release.

Among the cases listed were Victor Manuel Mendoza-Garcia, convicted of three counts of aggravated kidnapping; Juan Morales Martinez, tied to a fatal vehicle crash; and Amilcar Waldo Gonzalez-Jimenez, convicted of two counts of criminal sexual assault.

🚨 HOLY SMOKES! It’s been exposed that since Trump took office, Illinois Gov. Pritzker released illegal alien m*rderers, R*PISTS and P*EDOPHILES into his community, totaling 1,700 with ACTIVE ICE detainers.

What is wrong with JB Pritzker?!

ARREST THEM!pic.twitter.com/843QaM6Y5w

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) December 8, 2025

In each case, ICE said local agencies did not alert federal officers before releasing the individuals.

Other examples cited by ICE involved convictions for child abduction, predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, attempted murder, and aggravated kidnapping.

ICE documents state that some of the offenders were later re-arrested or removed from the country.

Lyons said Illinois’ continued refusal to comply with immigration detainers “plainly jeopardizes public safety” and asked whether the state plans to alter its approach or continue releasing violent offenders who may otherwise “walk the streets of Illinois again.”