The border between Mexico and the United States in the community of Sasabe, in the state of Sonora, Mexico, January 13, 2017. Photo by Alfredo Estrella / AFP – Getty Images

WASHINGTON DC (WSAU) – The director of Immigration & Customs Enforcement revealed in a letter Friday that thousands of illegal immigrants living in the United States have been convicted of violent crimes in recent years and that hundreds of thousands Criminal cases involving migrants remain unresolved.

In the letter sent to Texas Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales, Acting ICE Director Patrick Lechleitner detailed how more than 13,000 illegal immigrants in the United States have been convicted of homicide and another 15,000 have been been found guilty of sexual assault. Additionally, the letter stated that 435,719 criminal illegal immigrants have yet to be arrested by authorities.

“ICE recognizes that some jurisdictions are concerned that cooperation with federal immigration officials will erode trust in immigrant communities and make it more difficult for local law enforcement to serve these populations. However, “sanctuary” policies can end up protecting dangerous criminals, who often victimize these same communities,” Lechleitner said in the letter.

Former President Trump responded to the letter after it was posted online by Rep. Gonzales’ office, stating that Vice President Kamala Harris should cancel her planned event Friday at the U.S. southern border saying : “Kamala should immediately cancel her press conference because it was just revealed that 13,000 convicted murderers entered our country during her three and a half year tenure as border czar. Currently, because of it, 15,811 migrants are also convicted of rape and sexual assault.

The issue of illegal immigrant crime has hit the state of Wisconsin in recent weeks, as Fidel Martinez-Cruz was arrested in Green Bay last month for sexually assaulting two women in two separate instances at the Hyatt Hotel, including a 17-year-old victim who chose Martinez-Cruz stepped out of a lineup when police brought her in to identify her attacker. Martinez-Cruz faces charges of 2nd degree sexual assault/unconscious victim; 3rd degree sexual assault; attempted sexual assault in the 3rd degree; and 4th degree sexual assault.

Wisconsin also made national headlines when a Venezuelan migrant gang member identified as Nelson W Mijango Santos was charged with several violent crimes in August, such as attempted first-degree intentional homicide and attempted murder. fleeing or evading an officer, both of which are felonies. ICE placed a detainer on Santos on 08/23/2024 and he remains in the Dane County Jail while court proceedings play out.

Syracuse University’s Trac Immigration found in a recent study that from 2021 through the first quarter of 2024, the Biden administration issued fewer than 300,000 detentions to illegal immigrants in the country who went to commit a crime and many prisons in the United States, like this one. in Dane County, fail to honor ICE detainers and refuse to give ICE 48 hours notice to pick up a detainee before they are released to the public due to their “sanctuary” status “.