Murderers Walk FREE After Illinois Defies ICE Detainers

A crowded urban street filled with pedestrians walking in various directions

Illinois has released 1,768 individuals with active ICE detainers since January 2025, forcing federal agents to hunt down potentially dangerous criminals on the streets instead of transferring them through proper channels.

At a Glance

ICE reports Illinois released 1,768 non-citizens with active detainers, including individuals convicted of murder, rape, aggravated kidnapping, and sexual assault
An additional 4,015 individuals with pending detainers remain in Illinois custody, linked to 51 homicides and over 800 sexual-predatory offenses
Illinois state law prohibits local police from holding individuals solely on ICE detainers, creating a direct conflict with federal enforcement priorities
Federal courts are simultaneously ordering ICE to release hundreds detained during enforcement operations, citing violations of consent decrees
The dispute reflects a fundamental clash between state constitutional protections and federal immigration enforcement authority

Illinois Sanctuary Laws Block Federal Cooperation

Illinois has enacted a series of laws designed to limit local law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration authorities. The TRUST Act (2017) prohibits police from detaining individuals solely based on ICE detainers or immigration status. The Way Forward Act (2021) further restricted collaboration by ending ICE detention contracts in county jails. Illinois Attorney General guidance explicitly states that agencies cannot hold individuals longer than state law requires simply to facilitate federal civil immigration enforcement, even when ICE requests it.

ICE’s Public Warning on Criminal Releases

Todd Lyons, ICE’s Chicago Field Office Director, sent a letter to Illinois authorities warning that the state’s refusal to honor detainers is endangering public safety. According to ICE data, since January 2025, Illinois has released 1,768 non-citizens with active ICE detainers without notifying federal agents. ICE claims these individuals include people convicted of serious crimes: murder, rape, child pornography, armed robbery, aggravated kidnapping, and sexual assault. The agency argues that when local authorities fail to transfer custody, federal officers must conduct dangerous at-large arrests in communities rather than assume custody from jails.

Specific Cases Highlight the Conflict

ICE’s letter cited specific examples of individuals released without federal notification. Victor Manuel Mendoza-Garcia was convicted of three counts of aggravated kidnapping. Juan Morales Martinez was tied to a fatal vehicle crash. Amilcar Waldo Gonzalez-Jimenez was convicted of two counts of criminal sexual assault. In each case, ICE asserts that Illinois authorities failed to inform federal agents before release, forcing ICE to locate and apprehend these individuals after they had returned to the community.

Federal Courts Constraining ICE Operations

Complicating the narrative, federal courts in Chicago are simultaneously ordering ICE to release hundreds of detainees arrested during enforcement operations. Judge Jeffrey Cummings ruled that many individuals were likely arrested in violation of a 2022 consent decree that restricts ICE’s ability to conduct warrantless “collateral arrests.” Between June and October 2025, Operation Midway Blitz resulted in 1,852 arrests, yet attorneys note that approximately 85 percent of those detained had no prior criminal conviction, raising questions about the scope and targeting of federal enforcement.

The Constitutional Tension at the Heart of the Dispute

This conflict exposes a fundamental constitutional question: whether states can limit their local police from assisting federal civil immigration enforcement. Illinois argues that detainers are civil administrative requests, not judicial warrants, and that holding individuals solely on detainers without independent probable cause violates Fourth Amendment protections. Federal authorities counter that sanctuary policies obstruct legitimate law enforcement and endanger communities. The dispute reflects competing visions of federalism, with Illinois prioritizing state constitutional protections and ICE asserting federal primacy in immigration matters.

What Comes Next

Illinois agencies have not reversed their cooperation policies in response to ICE’s warnings, and no independent verification of ICE’s specific claims has been published. The numbers cited—1,768 releases and 4,015 pending detainers—are based on ICE’s internal data provided to media outlets. Meanwhile, federal court enforcement of consent decrees continues, suggesting that Illinois will face sustained pressure from both ICE warnings and judicial oversight of federal enforcement practices for the foreseeable future.