U.S. Department of Justice Requests Data on Criminal Illegal Aliens in California Jails

WASHINGTON — Today, the Department of Justice issued requests to sheriffs in multiple major California counties—including Los Angeles and San Francisco Counties—for lists of all inmates in their jails who are not citizens of the United States, their crimes of arrest or conviction, and their scheduled release dates.

In recent years, the United States suffered an invasion of illegal aliens at an unprecedented scale.  Far too many of those illegal aliens have gone on to commit crimes on American soil, including rapes, murders, and other violent crimes.  Today’s data requests are designed to assist federal immigration authorities in prioritizing the removal of illegal aliens who committed crimes after illegally entering the United States.  Although every illegal alien by definition violates federal law, those who go on to commit crimes after doing so show that they pose a heightened risk to our Nation’s safety and security.

“Removing criminal illegal aliens is this Administration’s highest priority,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “I look forward to cooperating with California’s county sheriffs to accomplish our shared duty of keeping Californians and all Americans safe and secure.”

The Department of Justice hopes that California sheriffs will voluntarily produce the requested information.  But if necessary, the Department will pursue all available means of obtaining the data, including through subpoenas or other compulsory process.