Which Sanctuary Jurisdictions Have Released the Most Criminals?

Newly obtained ICE records reveal the sanctuary jurisdictions that have most frequently failed to allow ICE to take custody of deportable aliens who were jailed in those locations. Over the period covered by the records (October 1, 2022, to February 6, 2025), more than 25,000 detainers were declined by these jails, and in more than 1,400 instances the jails failed to give adequate notification to ICE to take custody of the aliens. Among the findings:

• More than half of the declined detainers (52 percent) were refused by jails and prisons in California. The total number declined in California was 13,025.
• Illinois, Virginia, Massachusetts, and Connecticut also had especially large numbers of declined detainers.
• Detainers were declined by jails in 46 states and three U.S. territories (the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Northern Marianas). Many of these states have state laws prohibiting sanctuary policies.
• The jail with the highest number of declined detainers or insufficient notice to ICE was the main jail in Santa Clara County, Calif., which released nearly 3,000 criminal aliens during the period.
• Cook County Jail in Illinois and Fairfax County Adult Detention Center in Virginia each also released more than 1,000 criminal aliens during the period.
• A total of 72 criminal aliens with homicide convictions or charges were released during the period. The Illinois River Corrections Center and the Santa Clara County jails each released six convicted killers, and Stateville Correctional Center in Illinois released five.

The tables below provide more details.

The Center’s sanctuary map displays a comprehensive list of the active sanctuary jurisdictions and policies.