Secretary Noem Pressures Governor Newsom to Halt Release of Over 33,000 Undocumented Inmates
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has issued an urgent public demand to California Governor Gavin Newsom, calling on the state to block the release of 33,179 undocumented individuals currently in state custody. Secretary Noem characterized the group as “criminal illegal aliens,” sparking a renewed confrontation between federal immigration authorities and California’s long-standing sanctuary state policies.
The conflict centers on inmates within the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) who are eligible for release back into the community after serving their state sentences or being granted parole. Under federal protocols, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) typically requests that local and state authorities hold these individuals so they can be transferred into federal custody for deportation proceedings. However, Secretary Noem contends that California is preparing to release these individuals into the general public rather than turning them over to federal agents.
Background on the Conflict
The tension stems from California’s Senate Bill 54, known as the California Values Act, which was signed into law in 2017. The law limits cooperation between state and local law enforcement agencies and federal immigration authorities. While the law allows for cooperation in cases involving serious or violent felonies, it generally prohibits state resources from being used to assist with federal immigration enforcement for lesser offenses.
The figure of 33,179 cited by Secretary Noem refers to the population of non-citizen inmates currently held in California prisons who may be subject to removal from the United States. Federal officials have long argued that releasing these individuals endangers public safety and undermines national immigration laws.
State and Legal Objections
Governor Newsom’s administration and civil rights advocates have consistently defended the state’s policies, arguing that the corrections system is designed to punish and rehabilitate offenders for crimes committed under state law, not to enforce civil federal immigration statutes.
Opponents of Noem’s demand argue that holding individuals beyond their court-mandated release dates solely for ICE transfer violates constitutional due process rights. Furthermore, criminal justice reform advocates in California maintain that once an individual has served their time, they have paid their debt to society. They argue that automatic transfer to ICE disrupts rehabilitation efforts, separates families, and discourages immigrant communities from cooperating with local law enforcement due to fear of deportation.
As of this report, Governor Newsom’s office has not issued a direct response to Secretary Noem’s specific demand regarding the 33,179 inmates.
