Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has issued a detainer request to the city of Seattle, seeking the transfer of Leomar Alexander Lopez Zambrano, a Venezuelan illegal immigrant convicted of two counts of child molestation, once his 15‑month prison term ends.
Federal officials demand cooperation
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said the sanctuary city is refusing to honor the ICE request, allowing a dangerous criminal to return to the community. “Sanctuary politicians care so much about illegal immigrants that they’d rather release a convicted child molester than cooperate with federal law enforcement,” Mullin said.
Seattle’s stance and local impact
Seattle officials have not responded to requests for comment. The city has a long‑standing policy of limiting cooperation with federal immigration authorities, a practice that federal officials argue endangers public safety. ICE notes that seven of the ten safest U.S. cities cooperate with its detainer program.
Political backdrop
The dispute comes as the Trump administration confronts a newly Democratic‑controlled Congress after the 2026 midterms. Immigration experts such as Hans von Spakovsky of Advancing American Freedom warn that Democratic‑run jurisdictions may feel emboldened to further resist federal immigration enforcement.
Potential consequences
If Seattle continues to decline the detainer, the Trump administration says deportations will proceed where local cooperation exists, and it may pursue additional measures to compel compliance from sanctuary jurisdictions.
Broader implications
The case highlights the ongoing tension between federal immigration policy and local autonomy, a flashpoint in the broader national debate over immigration enforcement, public safety, and the role of sanctuary cities.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
