GRAY LEADS LETTER TO HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY QUESTIONING CURRENT APPROACH TO ICE DETAINMENT AND LACK OF STRATEGIC POLICY

Congressman Adam Gray (CA-13) today sent a letter to Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin expressing concerns about the current approach to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainment, custody transfer, and how a lack of strategic enforcement policy is negatively affecting both law enforcement and public safety in the Valley.

The effort comes in response to conversations and concerns raised by local law enforcement officials, including Stanislaus County Sheriff Jeff Dirkse. Since 2024, ICE detainers requested in Stanislaus County, California have increased by nearly 189% following direction from the Trump administration. Despite this trend, roughly half of detainers placed by local law enforcement were released to ICE the following year.

"There are many operational concerns between local law enforcement and our federal partners since we operate under state and federal law respectively. We are all committed to keeping our communities safe and I believe that collaborative conversations will allow all of the various agencies to accomplish their missions in a more efficient and effective manner," said Stanislaus County Sheriff Jeff Dirkse.

In the letter, Congressman Gray outlines how this lack of consistency, coordination, and prioritization of who ICE takes into custody has had a negative impact on public safety and public trust in our federal agencies.

"The lack of a strategic immigration enforcement policy that prioritizes those who pose the most danger to others carries significant implications for the communities I represent. It is my hope that we can work together to ensure that public safety is indeed the focus of your department going forward," Gray writes in the letter.

While undocumented immigrants with criminal convictions remain under state and local detention, agricultural communities across California have seen an increase in coordinated ICE raids targeting individuals without any criminal record.

"These farmworkers are foundational to the nation's agricultural sector. They plant, harvest, and process food that supports both domestic consumption and international trade. Without their labor, supply chains would be disrupted, food prices would rise, and many farming operations in my district would struggle to survive," Gray writes in the letter.

In the Letter, Congressman Gray requests the following answers from the Department of Homeland Security:

• Why is ICE not taking custody of all individuals for whom a detainer has been issued and deemed eligible under applicable law?
• How are resources being deployed when evaluating placed detainer pickups?
• Can you provide clarification on the current approach to immigration enforcement in California?

Read the full text of the letter here.