This article was originally published by LAist on July 17, 2025.
In another attempt to ratchet up immigration enforcement, the Department of Justice on Thursday asked major California counties — including Los Angeles and San Francisco — for lists of all jail inmates who are not U.S. citizens.
In addition to names, the federal agency requested information of what crimes led to the person’s arrest and the dates each person is scheduled for release.
The move signals the federal government is intent on detaining undocumented immigrants who are caught up in the criminal justice system — whether or not they’ve been convicted.
“Removing criminal illegal aliens is this Administration’s highest priority,” Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in a statement.
The request runs counter to California law.
Under the California’s Values Act — commonly known as the Sanctuary State law — local law enforcement agencies are limited in their cooperation with immigration authorities.
Local sheriffs and police chiefs may only hand over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement people convicted of serious or violent felonies, unless a federal judge has issued a warrant for that person’s arrest. In that case, law enforcement is legally required to hand people over to ICE.
But there’s a lot of discretion when it comes to lower-level crimes. And local jails vary in their approach.
L.A. County does not transfer anyone to ICE unless there’s a judicial warrant for arrest. The Sheriff’s Department, which runs the county jails, already makes public when people are going to be released, largely for family members. ICE has access to that public database too.
Orange County hands over everyone legally permitted by the sanctuary law. O.C. Sheriff Don Barnes told the Board of Supervisors earlier this year that cooperation with ICE “ is critical to the safety of our community.”
Bondi said she hoped counties would cooperate.
“I look forward to cooperating with California’s county sheriffs to accomplish our shared duty of keeping Californians and all Americans safe and secure,” Bondi said.
If necessary, the Department of Justice said it will pursue “all available means of obtaining the data, including through subpoenas or other compulsory process.”
An estimated 15,000 people are housed inside L.A. County jails. It’s unclear how many are unauthorized immigrants.