House Report: California Agencies Turned Away 8,901 Federal Detainers
A 22-page investigation by the House Judiciary Committee details compliance rates in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego.
By Christopher Singh ·
Los Angeles police, the San Francisco Sheriff’s Office, and the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office rejected a combined 8,901 requests from federal immigration authorities between 2020 and 2026, according to a new House Judiciary Committee report.
The 22-page document, released by Republicans on the committee, details the handling of Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainers in three major California jurisdictions. The investigation was led by Chairman Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio and Rep. Tom McClintock of California. The legislators sent records requests to local police and sheriff departments in June.
Los Angeles police honored four out of 4,177 detainers received from January 2020 to June 2026. The San Francisco Sheriff’s Office rejected all 2,201 detainers it received from January 2020 to August 2026. San Diego County declined 2,527 detainers between January 2023 and June 2026, including 894 in the preceding year.
The report cites ICE figures alleging that California authorities released 4,561 individuals sought by federal agents between January 20, 2025, and early February 2026. The committee identified these individuals as having criminal histories that included homicide, sexual assault, kidnapping, burglary, weapons offenses, and child abuse.
Republican investigators highlighted specific cases to illustrate the impact of local policies. The report mentioned Herbert Nixon Flores, an immigrant from El Salvador who was released by Los Angeles police in September 2020 despite an ICE hold. It also cited the February 2022 Sacramento church shooting, where David Mora Rojas killed four people before taking his own life. Mora Rojas had been arrested five days prior on charges including battery on a police officer and driving under the influence. The report noted that ICE requested notification of his release, but he was freed on bail.
The committee also referenced the November 2021 death of Anya Varfolomeev and her friend Nikolay Osokin. The victims were killed when Oscar Eduardo Ortega-Anguiana, a Mexican national previously deported in 2016 and 2018, crashed into their vehicle while driving near 100 mph. Anatoly Varfolomeev, the victims' father, testified in September that California leadership enabled the tragedy through its open border policies.
California’s sanctuary framework dates to 2013 when Governor Jerry Brown signed the Trust Act. The California Values Act followed in 2017. These laws restrict state and local authorities from using resources for federal immigration enforcement, with exceptions for serious crimes. San Diego County strengthened its protections in December 2024. San Francisco Sheriff Paul Miyamoto’s department has refused every ICE detainer since 2020, according to records provided to Congress.
Governor Gavin Newsom’s office previously disputed claims that the state blocks cooperation with federal agents. The administration stated that California coordinated the transfer of more than 12,000 people from state prisons to ICE custody since 2019. The governor’s office said in February that the state transferred individuals including convicted murderers and rapists, while noting that federal officials failed to pick up roughly one in eight state prisoners with outstanding detainers.
