U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has requested that local officials in Charlotte not release a criminal illegal alien charged with attempted first-degree murder, citing concerns that sanctuary-style policies could result in his return to the community before federal authorities can take custody.
ICE confirmed it lodged an immigration detainer on Feb. 1 for Jamie Iram Gamez Cadena, a Mexican national who authorities say is unlawfully present in the United States after overstaying a B-2 tourist visa. The detainer asks local law enforcement to notify ICE before any release so federal agents can assume custody.
According to ICE, Gamez Cadena was arrested in North Carolina after allegedly stabbing his ex-girlfriend multiple times during an attack on Feb. 1. He has been charged with attempted first-degree murder.
ICE officials said the detainer was issued to prevent Gamez Cadena from being released back into the community without federal notification, a practice the agency says has occurred repeatedly in jurisdictions that decline to cooperate with immigration enforcement.
Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin said the agency is urging state and local leaders to ensure the suspect remains in custody until ICE can take action.
“We are calling on North Carolina officials to commit to not releasing this individual back into the community,” McLaughlin said, adding that the state has previously declined to honor immigration detainers in other cases involving criminal illegal aliens.
ICE has reported that sanctuary-style policies in North Carolina have contributed to the release of approximately 1,400 criminal illegal aliens from local jails back onto public streets in recent years.
The agency said Gamez Cadena will remain subject to federal immigration enforcement pending the outcome of his criminal case and any transfer to ICE custody.
ICE officials emphasized that detainers are a standard law enforcement tool used to coordinate between local and federal authorities and to prevent repeat offenses by individuals charged with violent crimes.
