US probes release of arrested immigrant in first challenge to sanctuary cities

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

US probes release of arrested immigrant in first challenge to sanctuary cities

Sarah N. Lynch and Andrew Goudsward
Thu, January 30, 2025 at 7:27 PM EST·2 min read

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Justice Department said on Thursday it was probing the release by an upstate New York sheriff's office of an immigrant living in the U.S. illegally, in what appears to be its first use of a new policy to target state and local agencies that do not comply with President Donald Trump's directives.

The department last week directed federal prosecutors to consider criminal investigations of state and local officials if they interfere with federal immigration enforcement, in a crackdown on "sanctuary cities."

The incident took place on Wednesday in Ithaca, New York, a deeply progressive city in New York's Finger Lakes region, and involved Mexican national Jesus Romero-Hernandez, 27, who had been in custody over an assault charge.

Federal prosecutors said the Tompkins County Sheriff's Office released him despite an outstanding federal arrest warrant on a charge of illegally reentering the U.S. after a prior removal.

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Read more: https://news.yahoo.com/news/us-probes-release-arrested-immigrant-002747891.html