Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin has warned that Seattle's sanctuary city policies could lead to the release of a convicted child molester and illegal immigrant from Venezuela, Leomar Alexander Lopez Zambrano, back onto the streets. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has lodged a detainer request for Zambrano, asking that he be turned over to federal authorities upon completion of his current prison sentence, rather than being released into the community.
Mullin stated that Seattle politicians are refusing to honor the detainer request, which he believes prioritizes illegal immigrants over public safety. "This illegal alien has been convicted on TWO counts of child molestation," Mullin said in a statement. "Sanctuary politicians care so much about illegal aliens that they’d rather release a convicted child molester than cooperate with federal law enforcement."
Zambrano is serving a 15-month sentence, after which he would typically face deportation. However, DHS indicated that without cooperation from Seattle authorities, they would not be aware of his release from jail. The agency emphasized that lodging arrest detainers is the most effective way to apprehend and remove criminal illegal immigrants, noting that "Seven of the top 10 safest cities in the United States cooperate with ICE."
The situation in Seattle highlights ongoing tensions between the Trump administration's immigration enforcement efforts and cities with sanctuary policies. According to Hans von Spakovsky, an immigration expert with Advancing American Freedom, the recent election results, which saw Democrats gain a majority in the House and Senate, might embolden such cities to further resist federal immigration enforcement.
"I have no doubt that sanctuary jurisdictions will feel emboldened," Spakovsky told Fox News Digital. He also suggested that Democrats might attempt to target immigration enforcement resources through the congressional appropriations process, though he expressed skepticism about their success.
Despite potential political shifts, Mullin affirmed that deportations would continue. Officials from Seattle did not respond to requests for comment regarding Zambrano's status.