The battle over illegal immigration enforcement has escalated yet again, this time in upstate New York, where Tompkins County Sheriff Derek Osborne released a criminal illegal immigrant onto the streets despite a federal arrest warrant signed by a magistrate judge. The move has sparked outrage from the Trump administration, with Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove III confirming that the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Syracuse is investigating Osborne’s failure to comply with federal law—an investigation that could lead to criminal charges.
The illegal immigrant in question, Jesus Romero-Hernandez, is not just another routine deportation case. He has been deported six times between July and September of 2016 alone. Despite this, he was convicted of assault in New York and served time before being released by Osborne’s office on January 28—ignoring a federal warrant and forcing ICE, U.S. Marshals, and Homeland Security to hunt him down in the streets two days later.
This incident is just the latest in the growing national battle between sanctuary city policies and the Trump administration’s aggressive push to enforce immigration law. Ithaca, New York—the county seat of Tompkins County and home to Cornell University—is a sanctuary city, meaning its law enforcement agencies refuse to cooperate with ICE detainer requests. Instead of holding illegal immigrants so federal authorities can deport them, sanctuary cities release them back into the community, even if they have criminal records or active federal warrants.
In response, Bove issued a national directive last month, ordering U.S. attorneys to investigate state and local officials who obstruct federal immigration enforcement. The directive explicitly states that sanctuary city officials can be prosecuted under federal law for obstructing ICE operations.
“The Justice Department will not tolerate actions that endanger law enforcement and make their jobs harder than they already are, as they work to protect us all,” Bove declared. “We will use every tool at our disposal to prevent sanctuary city policies from impeding and obstructing lawful federal operations designed to make America safe again and end the national crisis arising from four years of failed immigration policy.”
The sheriff’s reckless decision to release Romero-Hernandez has heightened fears about migrant crime in college communities—especially in sanctuary cities like Ithaca, which is home to Cornell University. This concern comes on the heels of the murder of Laken Riley, a University of Georgia nursing student who was brutally killed by an illegal immigrant from Venezuela.
Riley’s death ignited a national firestorm, putting pressure on colleges and surrounding communities to reevaluate their sanctuary policies and increase campus security.
Security expert Patrick McCall warns that sanctuary city policies make college campuses even more vulnerable:
“Potential dangers exist everywhere, but especially on campuses in sanctuary cities, as most are open campuses where outsiders can enter either on foot, bicycle, or by vehicle,” McCall said. “Reports show Jose Ibarra, who was found guilty in the death of Laken Riley, was on and off campus numerous times before the murder and was suspected of ‘looking for females.'”
Universities are now under pressure to do more to protect students. In response to Riley’s death, the University of Georgia announced a $1.7 million investment in additional campus safety improvements, including more police patrols and surveillance measures.
Sheriff Derek Osborne’s defiant release of a violent illegal immigrant despite a federal warrant is a perfect example of why Trump’s crackdown on sanctuary cities is necessary.
