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Customs and Border Protection (CBP) worked with local authorities to foil California’s sanctuary city policies and took into custody a gang member from Mexico who concluded a 12-year prison sentence for second-degree murder.
Local law enforcement in southern California turned over to federal agents the Sureños-13 gang member outside the John J. Benoit Detention Center immediately after concluding his sentence last week, according to CBP.
The apprehension contrasts sharply with sanctuary city policies that have thrown up roadblocks for federal-state coordination. It also highlights the payoff that could happen with the types of partnerships the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) hoped to build with local authorities during President Donald Trump’s administration.
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A detained member of the Sureños-13 gang, left, pictured alongside Customs and Border Protection agents, right. (Customs and Border Protection)
“This is a prime example of the great strides local, state and federal law enforcement can deliver to the American public in terms of safety when common sense cooperation exists,” Daniel Parra, acting chief patrol agent at El Centro Sector, said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
“Honoring federal detainers, such as in this case, makes our communities safer.”
It’s unclear when the detainee originally re-entered the U.S. He is now facing federal prosecution for reentry after previous deportation.
If local authorities did not work with CBP, it’s possible that the gang member could have been released from jail and escaped into the U.S. without detection by immigration authorities.
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New York Gov. Kathy Hochul spoke during a news conference at the WIN NYC family shelter on March 5, 2026, in New York City. (Adam Gray/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The recent arrest follows moves by Democrats, such as New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, to restrict federal-local partnerships. Last week, Hochul urged New York lawmakers to ban the 287(g) program — a law that allows local officers to assume authority to conduct immigration-related work normally carried out by federal officials.
Lauren Bis, acting assistant secretary for public affairs for the Department of Homeland Security, blasted the push by Hochul, which follows other blue states seeking to stifle federal immigration operations.
“Instead of working with us, Governor Hochul is choosing to release violent criminals from her jails directly back into our communities to perpetrate more crimes and create more victims,” Bis said.
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A U.S. Customs and Border Protection Border Patrol agent stands at Border Field State Park near the U.S.-Mexico border wall in Imperial Beach, Calif., on Aug. 17, 2025. (Kevin Carter/Getty Images)
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In addition to the second-degree murder conviction, the unnamed gang member’s criminal history includes felony possession of a firearm, taking a vehicle without consent, battery and providing false identification to an officer.
The Sureños-13 gang, one of many groups that operates in and around Southern California, mainly deals in mid-level drug distribution schemes, according to records from the Department of Justice.
