ICE Seeks Seattle Handover of Venezuelan Child Molester After 15-Month Sentence
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Nov 5
ICE Seeks Seattle Handover of Venezuelan Child Molester After 15-Month Sentence
3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Nov 5
Summary
ICE has lodged a detainer for Leomar Alexander Lopez Zambrano, a Venezuelan migrant convicted on two child-molestation counts, seeking custody when his 15-month prison term in Seattle ends.
DHS says Seattle’s sanctuary policies could block that transfer, leaving federal agents without notice of his release and raising the risk he returns to the community instead of entering deportation proceedings.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin used the case to accuse sanctuary jurisdictions of obstructing immigration enforcement, while Seattle officials did not respond to requests for comment.
The dispute lands just after the 2026 midterms, with Republicans arguing a Democratic takeover of Congress could embolden sanctuary cities and spur efforts to curb DHS immigration enforcement funding.