Los Angeles County resumed transferring jail inmates to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in May and June 2025, the first such transfers since early 2020, according to Sheriff’s Department records obtained by the Los Angeles Times.
A total of 20 inmates were transferred—8 in May and 12 in June—using federal judicial warrants, which are legal orders signed by judges. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) stated that the transfers comply with state and local sanctuary laws.
Most of the transferred inmates were from Mexico (11) and Guatemala (6), with one each from Colombia, El Salvador, and Honduras. Their ages ranged from 19 to 63.
All but one were transferred under judicial warrants. The exception was extradited to the United States and released under an agreement between ICE, the L.A. County District Attorney, and the Sheriff’s Department.
Max Huntsman, L.A. County Inspector General, said the transfers appear legal and consistent with state and federal law.
Among those transferred in May, one had been sentenced to six years in prison for felony voluntary manslaughter, another had pleaded not guilty to a domestic violence-related charge on May 21, 2025, and another had been jailed for violating post-release supervision. Charges for the remaining five were not disclosed.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which includes ICE, reported arresting more than 2,700 people in the L.A. area since launching an immigration crackdown in June 2025. These individuals are typically held in federal immigration facilities, not county jails.
