# DHS Says California Ignored an ICE Detainer and Freed a Guatemalan Drug Trafficker Arrested for Car Theft

Breitbart reports ICE lodged a detainer after Juan Jose Leonardo De Leon's January arrest in Los Angeles, but sanctuary law kept it from being honored. ICE arrested him on Oct. 19.

- Section: [Border & Security](https://rightnewsrightnow.com/border-security/)
- Published: 2026-10-29
- By: RightNewsRightNow Staff
- Canonical page: https://rightnewsrightnow.com/articles/california-ignored-ice-detainer-guatemalan-juan-jose-leonardo-de-leon-drug-trafficker-mullin-breitbart/

Another sanctuary-release case has surfaced, Breitbart News reports in an exclusive, and it comes with a statement from the Homeland Security secretary.

The arrest. Breitbart says the Los Angeles Police Department arrested Juan Jose Leonardo De Leon of Guatemala in January 2026 and charged him with grand theft auto.

The detainer. A detainer is a request to hold someone so federal agents can take custody. Breitbart says ICE agents lodged one, but it was ignored under California's sanctuary law, and De Leon was released into the community.

The rearrest. ICE agents arrested him in Los Angeles on Oct. 19, Breitbart reports. It says he was previously convicted of drug trafficking and of grand theft of stolen copper materials.

The status. He came to the U.S. legally in February 2004, according to Breitbart, and had overstayed his visa by April of that year. That means he has been in the country illegally for more than 20 years.

The statement. DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said: "Sanctuary politicians in California refused to honor ICE's detainer and released this convicted drug trafficker and thief back onto the streets." He added: "Thankfully, because of the hard work of the brave patriots of ICE, we've arrested this criminal and taken him off the streets."

Note for readers: the account comes from DHS through Breitbart. The report does not include a response from California or Los Angeles officials, and we have not seen court or jail records. The grand theft auto case outcome is not stated.

## Source

Original reporting: [Breitbart](https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2026/10/29/exclusive-sanctuary-california-illegal-alien-release/)