A California jail went into lockdown for roughly three hours rather than work with ICE to facilitate the transfer of three criminal illegal aliens. The shutdown suspended new bookings and inmate releases while protesters, legal observers, lawyers, and politicians gathered outside, as reported by The Gateway Pundit.

ICE agents ultimately departed without taking anyone into custody during the confrontation. The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office has indicated that it would take the same action again under similar circumstances.

NEW: A California Jail Went Into Temporary Lockdown Instead of Releasing Inmates to ICE Agents

October 27: Six @ICEgov agents arrived at the Monterey County Jail in Salinas, CA requesting custody transfer of three suspected criminal illegal aliens. Rather than release the people in custody, the jail chose to enter a 3 hour lockdown and refused to release the illegal aliens into federal custody. A crowd of protesters quickly formed, and County of Monterey District 1, Supervisor Luis Alejo, was also on scene and took video of the crowd. The agents were there to recover Eduardo Castro-Lopez, also known as Jordan Eduardo Yac; Jose Luis Quinones, also known as Jose Manuel Garcia; and Angelina Ramirez-Sepulveda. The suspects have prior arrests for multiple offenses including DUI, drug offenses and providing false identification. “None of the suspects were turned over to ICE during the lockdown,” said ICE Assistant Director of Public Affairs @MicahBock to @BorderHawkNews. “A local county supervisor told the ICE officers that the sheriff would not release the inmates to them. It’s borderline obscene that a facility that’s there to protect the public would go on lockdown to protect criminal illegal aliens from the consequences of violating federal immigration law.” Footage by KSBW Action News 8 shows an ICE agent talking to Monterey County District 4 Supervisor Wendy Root Askew who stated clearly the 3 men would NOT be released from the jail due to the presence of immigration agents. By the next day, the online custody log showed that Castro-Lopez had been released from custody and Quinones was no longer shown as being in custody. Ramirez-Sepulveda remained in custody. “Two of the individuals ICE sought were reportedly released from custody. This is where we are: Criminals are being protected in sanctuary cities and states, and a law enforcement facility is siding with CRIMINALS instead of cooperating with federal law enforcement," said ICE on social media. — Wid Lyman (@Wid_Lyman) November 2, 2026

The three individuals sought by ICE were Eduardo Castro-Lopez, also known as Jordan Eduardo Yac, Jose Luis Quinones, also known as Jose Manuel Garcia, and Angelina Ramirez-Sepulveda. All three were in the jail when agents arrived.

An ICE spokesperson told Border Hawk that “what should have been a simple, routine operation quickly went sideways.” What began as an effort to take custody of three people instead became a prolonged spectacle outside the facility.

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Agents waited in an area marked with yellow caution tape as protesters began arriving. Monterey County Supervisor Luis Alejo was at the scene and filmed the protest as the dispute unfolded.

Roughly 50 people were present outside the jail, including legal observers, lawyers, politicians, and other protesters. Inside, routine jail operations were halted under the lockdown announced by the sheriff’s office.

Supervisor Wendy Root Askew was recorded during a tense exchange with an ICE agent. Askew said she had spoken with the sheriff and told the agent that “they will not be releasing anyone who is at risk today.”

The ICE agent pressed Askew about the consequences of keeping inmates locked inside because federal agents were present. The exchange placed the sheriff’s decision and the rights of people otherwise eligible for release squarely at the center of the confrontation.

“OK, so to be clear: Because we are here, the folks that are in there that would otherwise be legally allowed out there, Fourth Amendment rights are being violated by the sheriff to keep them in there? Is that what I’m hearing from you?” the agent asked, according to a report and video from KSBW.

Askew responded with a blunt explanation of the county’s position. “They will not be released in a location where ICE is present.”

The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office announced the lockdown at around 5:40 p.m. Officials said the jail would not accept new bookings, all inmate releases were temporarily suspended, and public visitation was closed except for attorneys.

Officials said the restrictions were imposed “out of an abundance of caution to ensure everybody’s safety.” That explanation did not change the practical result, as ICE waited outside while the people agents sought remained inside the facility.

ICE agents left at approximately 6:30 p.m. amid the protest without taking any of the three individuals into federal custody. The jail returned to normal operations less than two hours after the agents departed.

The sheriff’s office later maintained that scheduled releases were not affected overall. It also said the lockdown was intended to preserve a safe environment at the jail while ICE agents and the assembled crowd were present.

MONTEREY COUNTY JAIL PLACED FACILITY ON FULL LOCKDOWN, HARBORING CRIMINAL ILLEGAL ALIENS FROM FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT

On October 27, the Monterey County Jail was placed on temporary lockdown following a targeted ICE operation involving criminal illegal aliens with prior arrests for DUI, drug offenses, and providing false identification. New bookings and inmate releases were temporarily suspended. Two of the individuals ICE sought were reportedly released from custody. This is where we are: Criminals are being protected in sanctuary cities and states, and a law enforcement facility is siding with CRIMINALS instead of cooperating with federal law enforcement. — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (@ICEgov) October 29, 2026

ICE offered a sharply different assessment of the episode. The agency said two of the three individuals it sought were reportedly released from custody and accused the jail of “harboring” them.

The agency wrote that “criminals are being protected in sanctuary cities and states, and a law enforcement facility is siding with CRIMINALS instead of cooperating with federal law enforcement.” ICE’s statement directly challenged the sheriff’s claim that the lockdown was simply a safety measure.

By the following day, custody records confirmed that Castro-Lopez had been released. Quinones was no longer listed as being in custody, while Ramirez-Sepulveda remained at the facility.

The episode ended with ICE leaving empty-handed after waiting outside a jail holding three people the agency sought. Two were later reported out of county custody, and only Ramirez-Sepulveda remained.