The Department of Homeland Security criticized Santa Clara County officials this week for declining to honor U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainer requests for two Honduran nationals accused of murdering a 24-year-old mother in early January.
Kembery Chirinos-Flores was killed with a shotgun in Santa Clara County. Her son's father, Gerzon Jose Chirinos-Munguia, and Franquin Inestroza-Martinez were both arrested in connection with the killing. The 5-year-old child was not harmed and has been placed in the custody of child protective services.
What the Right Is Saying
Republicans and DHS officials are demanding that Santa Clara County cooperate with ICE detainer requests, arguing that the county's sanctuary policy enabled dangerous individuals to remain in the community. DHS Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis called the situation 'insanity' and said the suspects should never have been released from jail into American communities.
GOP lawmakers have pointed to the suspects' criminal histories in arguing for stricter enforcement. Chirinos-Munguia was previously arrested in 2018 for battery and false imprisonment, and in 2019 for domestic battery and threatening crime with intent to terrorize. He was released both times without ICE being notified, according to DHS. Inestroza-Martinez had an outstanding arrest warrant from New Jersey for a homicide committed in March 2025.
Republicans argue that sanctuary policies like the California Values Act tie the hands of local law enforcement and prevent federal authorities from removing dangerous individuals. They have called for ending such policies at the state and local levels, saying public safety should take precedence over immigration enforcement limitations.
What the Left Is Saying
Immigration advocates and supporters of California's sanctuary policies argue that the state's approach to limiting local police cooperation with federal immigration enforcement promotes public safety by encouraging undocumented residents to cooperate with local law enforcement without fear of deportation. They note that the California Values Act, passed in 2017, was designed to build trust between immigrant communities and police.
Democratic lawmakers and progressive groups have defended California's approach, arguing that local law enforcement should focus on community policing rather than serving as federal immigration agents. They note that the Trump administration previously sued California over the sanctuary law but lost in court, with the Supreme Court declining to hear the state's appeal in 2020.
Santa Clara County officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Fox News Digital. Supporters of the sanctuary law argue that local resources should not be diverted to federal immigration enforcement and that counties must balance federal requests with local priorities.
What the Numbers Show
Chirinos-Munguia was arrested twice in Santa Clara County—in 2018 and 2019—and released both times without ICE notification, despite his prior domestic violence charges. He is the father of Chirinos-Flores' 5-year-old son.
Inestroza-Martinez was deported from the United States in 2013 and again in 2018. He illegally re-entered the country before allegedly committing the murder in Santa Clara County and the homicide in New Jersey.
The Trump administration sued California over the California Values Act in 2017-18. The lawsuit was dismissed by a federal district court and failed again on appeal. The Supreme Court declined to hear the case in 2020.
The Bottom Line
The killing of Kembery Chirinos-Flores has intensified the debate over sanctuary policies, with DHS demanding Santa Clara County honor ICE detainers. The suspects' prior interactions with local law enforcement and the county's decision not to notify ICE are now under scrutiny. The case may renew calls for California to modify its sanctuary law, though legal challenges have previously failed. Santa Clara County has not publicly responded to DHS criticism.