SANCTUARY INSANITY: DHS Condemns Sanctuary Politicians in Illinois for Releasing a Violent Criminal Rather Than Honoring ICE Detainer

Sanctuary politicians in Illinois RELEASED this violent felon onto the streets

WASHINGTON - The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released the following statement after sanctuary politicians in Illinois refused to honor a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer for an illegal alien who had been convicted of aggravated battery with use of a deadly weapon.

On May 28, ICE lodged a detainer asking Illinois authorities not to release Shageldi Bashimov, an illegal alien from Turkmenistan, who had been convicted for aggravated battery with use of a deadly weapon. He had been sentenced to two years in prison in Chicago.

Illinois sanctuary politicians refused to honor the ICE detainer, RELEASING this violent felon back onto the streets without notifying ICE.

"This illegal alien has been convicted for aggravated battery with use of a deadly weapon, yet sanctuary politicians in Illinois refused to honor the ICE detainer and instead chose to release this violent criminal back onto the streets of their state," said Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin. "Sanctuary politicians care so much about illegal aliens that they'd rather release a convicted violent felon than cooperate with federal law enforcement. These reckless sanctuary policies are only going to endanger more innocent Americans. DHS is calling on Illinois and other sanctuary states to end this practice before any more lives are harmed."

Bashimov was lawfully admitted to the United States in March 2024, but chose to overstay his permitted time. He is currently at large.

Under Governor J.B. Pritzker, Illinois has become a hotbed of illegal alien crime. Some of the recent illegal alien crimes in the sanctuary state include:

• In August, ICE arrested Hamed Mohammed Hamed Alsaidi, an illegal alien from Jordan, after he had been arrested for having EIGHT Molotov cocktails in his possession in Mokena, Illinois. He had been released by sanctuary politicians in Will County who refused to honor ICE's detainer, and ICE arrested him two days later.
• In June, ICE lodged a detainer for Janio Gionel Velasquez-Muro, an illegal alien from Venezuela, after he was arrested for kidnapping and sexually assaulting a 9-year-old girl in Kane County, Illinois.
• In June, ICE arrested Giovanna Mercedes Moreno Occhipinti, an illegal alien from Venezuela and former teacher, for her involvement in a Tren de Aragua mass shooting in December 2024 that killed three people and injured several others at a house party in Chicago, Illinois.
• In March, ICE lodged a detainer for Jose Medina-Medina, an illegal alien from Venezuela, after he was arrested for shooting and killing 18-year-old Loyola College student Sheridan Gorman in Chicago, Illinois.
• In October 2025, ICE lodged a detainer for Leyter Jeferson Arauz-Medina, an illegal alien from Nicaragua, after his arrest for raping a 54-year-old woman in Chicago, Illinois.
• In October 2025, ICE arrested Radule Bojovic, an illegal alien from Montenegro, who was working as a sworn police officer with the Hanover Park Police Department.
• In September 2025, ICE lodged a detainer for Jose Javier Coronado-Meza, an illegal alien from Venezuela, after he was arrested for killing a man execution-style and then burying his body in concrete in Cook County, Illinois.
• In July 2025, ICE arrested Luis Mendoza-Gonzalez, an illegal alien from Mexico, after he was released by sanctuary politicians in Lake County, despite being arrested for hiding the body of 37-year-old Megan Bos on his property.
• In January 2025, Julio Cucul-Bol, an illegal alien from Guatemala, caused a drunk-driving crash that killed 20-year-old Katie Abraham in Urbana, Illinois. Cucul-Bol now faces charges of leaving the scene of a crash resulting in death, aggravated driving under the influence resulting in death, and reckless homicide. Operation Midway Blitz was launched in September 2025 in Katie's honor.

"Sanctuary Insanity" is a new daily series by the Department of Homeland Security highlighting the insanity of sanctuary politicians releasing criminal illegal aliens back onto the streets to terrorize American citizens.

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