California Jail Locks Down During ICE Operation, Preventing Agents From Taking Three Migrants Into C

Federal immigration officers left the Monterey County Jail without taking three targeted individuals into custody after a three-hour lockdown, prompting conflicting accounts from ICE and local officials over immigration enforcement, inmate releases and public safety.

By yourNEWS Media Newsroom

SALINAS, Calif. — The Monterey County Jail temporarily suspended inmate releases and new bookings during a federal immigration operation Oct. 27, preventing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents from taking three targeted individuals into custody as protesters gathered outside the California facility.

Six ICE officers arrived at the jail seeking three foreign nationals with prior arrests involving driving under the influence, drug offenses and providing false identification, according to a Nov. 2 investigation by Border Hawk. The individuals were identified as Eduardo Castro-Lopez, also known as Jordan Eduardo Yac; Jose Luis Quinones, also known as Jose Manuel Garcia; and Angelina Ramirez-Sepulveda.

<span data-mce-type="bookmark" style="display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;" class="mce_SELRES_start"> </span><br>

The operation became a confrontation between federal immigration authorities and Monterey County officials after the Sheriff’s Office ordered a lockdown lasting approximately three hours. ICE agents left without taking the three individuals into custody, while county officials maintained that the restrictions were necessary to protect jail employees, incarcerated individuals, federal officers and members of the public.

The incident occurred Tuesday, Oct. 27, rather than on Election Day, Nov. 3. It subsequently attracted wider attention after ICE publicly accused the county of obstructing federal immigration enforcement.

“What should have been a simple, routine operation quickly went sideways,” an ICE spokesperson told Border Hawk.

According to the federal agency, officers were attempting to take custody of individuals with previous criminal arrests when a crowd of protesters and legal observers began gathering near the jail’s vehicle entrance. The Sheriff’s Office suspended new bookings, inmate releases and public visitation, although attorneys were permitted to continue visiting their clients.

Monterey County Supervisor Wendy Root Askew confronted an ICE officer outside the facility, questioning the agents’ presence on county property and explaining that the jail would not release inmates while immigration officers remained nearby.

The exchange was captured in video published by KSBW, which showed the federal officer challenging the county’s decision to suspend releases.

“They will not be releasing anyone who is at risk today,” Askew told the officer.

The agent questioned whether detaining individuals beyond their scheduled release times because ICE officers were present would violate their constitutional rights.

“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 officer asked.

“They will not be released in a location where ICE is present,” Askew responded.

When the agent pressed whether county policy authorized the decision, Askew distinguished between the jail’s lockdown and restrictions on using county property for federal immigration enforcement.

“They won’t be releasing anyone,” she said, adding that the county policy specifically addressed staging immigration operations.

The dispute followed a Sept. 29 decision by the Monterey County Board of Supervisors to prohibit county-owned property from being used as staging areas, operational bases or processing locations for civil immigration enforcement, subject to exceptions involving judicial warrants and certain criminal enforcement activities.

Local officials have argued that the policy protects municipal resources from being used for federal immigration operations. ICE maintains that federal officers possess independent authority to enforce immigration laws and take eligible individuals into custody.

The lockdown began around 5 p.m. and ended at approximately 8 p.m., after ICE agents departed around 6:30 p.m. About 50 people, including protesters, immigration attorneys, legal observers and elected officials, gathered outside the jail during the operation.

According to Monterey County NOW’s reporting from the scene, the confrontation became increasingly heated as demonstrators approached federal vehicles. Some protesters reportedly threw rocks toward the vehicles as agents drove away.

The Sheriff’s Office said its decision to restrict jail operations was prompted by safety concerns rather than an attempt to interfere with immigration enforcement. Officials also said federal agents had not notified the department before conducting operations near the facility.

Sheriff Tina Nieto defended the response, emphasizing the department’s responsibility to protect everyone near the jail.

“We continue to work with our county leaders to ensure the safety of everyone, including our incarcerated population, jail staff, law enforcement personnel, and community members who have gathered to express their concerns,” Nieto said.

The department also maintained that it complied with California law, including the California Values Act, commonly known as SB 54, which limits certain forms of cooperation between state and local law enforcement agencies and federal immigration authorities.

In an Oct. 29 statement reported by KSBW, ICE accused the jail of protecting individuals sought by federal officers.

“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,” the agency stated.

“New bookings and inmate releases were temporarily suspended. Two of the individuals ICE sought were reportedly released from custody.”

ICE further accused the facility of “harboring” individuals sought by federal law enforcement and criticized California’s sanctuary policies.

The Sheriff’s Office disputed suggestions that inmates had been improperly released during the lockdown. Officials said no inmates were released while the restrictions were in place and that individuals scheduled for release were not ultimately delayed beyond their normal release schedules.

The accounts are not necessarily contradictory on timing. ICE did not specify when the two individuals were reportedly released, while the Sheriff’s Office addressed releases during the three-hour lockdown. Whether the targeted individuals left custody before or after the restrictions remains relevant to the dispute.

Local reporting subsequently indicated that Castro-Lopez had been released, Quinones was no longer listed in custody and Ramirez-Sepulveda remained detained. Those reports did not establish that the individuals had been convicted of the offenses described by ICE.

The incident also raised questions about whether county property restrictions can prevent federal officers from waiting outside a jail to arrest individuals after their release. California law generally limits the assistance local agencies may provide in civil immigration enforcement but does not prohibit ICE from conducting independent operations.

The conflict continued later in the week when immigration officers returned to areas near the jail. On Oct. 29, KSBW reported that ICE vehicles appeared near the Salinas Regional Soccer Complex and on county-owned property. Officials said some agents were asked to leave the complex grounds and complied, although additional vehicles reportedly remained nearby.

Monterey County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Cmdr. Andres Rosas said authorities would evaluate future ICE activity individually and could impose another temporary lockdown if conditions warranted.

“If ICE agents return, another lockdown may be activated,” Rosas said, explaining that decisions would depend on the circumstances and the need to protect staff, inmates, law enforcement personnel and the public.

The confrontation illustrates the continuing disagreement between the Trump administration and California jurisdictions over immigration enforcement. Federal officials argue that restrictions on cooperation make it more difficult to apprehend individuals with criminal histories, while local authorities maintain that state law limits their participation in civil immigration operations and that public safety decisions remain their responsibility.

For the three individuals targeted Oct. 27, the available reporting does not establish that ICE successfully obtained custody following the incident. The agency’s allegations concerning their immigration status and arrest histories also remain distinct from any criminal convictions.

The Monterey County Jail resumed normal operations the evening of the confrontation, but the dispute over federal access, county property restrictions and the circumstances of inmate releases remains unresolved.