Holly MatkinChowchilla, CA – An illegal alien convicted of murdering a child was allowed to walk out of prison earlier this month, in spite of a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer.
Salvadoran national Carlos Morales-Ramirez, 44, was convicted on Jan. 9, 1998 in Los Angeles Superior Court of assault on a child causing death, second-degree murder, and great bodily injury to a child causing death, ICE said in a press release on Monday.
The California Department of Corrections (DOC) ignored a detainer filed by ICE, and released the convicted killer from Pleasant Valley Prison on Dec. 4.
ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Los Angeles Field Office Director Dave Marin said DOC was not prohibited by law from honoring the detainer in Morales-Ramirez’s case.
“State sanctuary laws grant law enforcement officials the discretion to cooperate with immigration authorities in instances where serious or violent crimes have been committed,” Director Marin said. “Again, we’re talking about the murder of a child.”
ICE ERO officers ultimately tracked the convicted killer down and arrested him during a targeted enforcement action on Dec. 10, according to the press release.
Morales-Ramirez remains in ICE custody pending the outcome of his removal proceedings.
“Rather than working with our officers to ensure this convicted aggravated felon was safely handed over to ICE, he was released back into the community and our officers were forced to exhaust more time and resources relocating and re-arresting him,” Director Marin noted.
“When local law enforcement agencies fail to honor immigration detainers and release serious criminal offenders onto the streets, it undermines ICE’s ability to protect public safety and carry out its national security mission,” he added.
The director blasted California lawmakers for placing residents at risk by continuing to shield violent, illegal aliens from deportation.
“California’s sanctuary policies continue to fail residents by allowing convicted criminals like Morales-Ramirez to walk free,” he said. “State officials and advocates need to take a hard look at the reality, and potential consequences, of these misguided laws that leave potential victims wildly unprotected from very egregious criminal offenders.”
