Following a five-year high of transfers of criminal suspects from the Fresno County Jail to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, 2025 numbers show a significant drop.

On Tuesday, Fresno County Sheriff John Zanoni presented 2025 statistics showing how many ICE transfer requests were received and how many were approved from the Fresno County Jail.

He said the transfer rate dropped 62% from the 2024 high.

“These individuals are all dangerous, violent, and involved in felonious, criminal activity,” Zanoni said.

Burglary, False Imprisonment, Domestic Violence

In 2025, deputies transferred 63 criminal suspects to ICE agents after receiving 634 requests from the agency. That means most requests from ICE did not meet the criteria outlined in California’s Senate Bill 54, which limits cooperation between local and state law enforcement agencies and ICE.

That’s a nearly 62% drop from the 102 transfers in 2024 — a five-year high at the time.

Zanoni broke down the 63 transfers this way:

• 36 crimes against people
• 4 sex crimes
• 13 property crimes
• 10 DUI/drug felonies

The top three crimes of those transferred were false imprisonment with violence, felony domestic violence, and felony burglary.

Drug offenses were limited to those caught with methamphetamine, fentanyl, or cocaine.

Under California law, deputies cannot proactively inform ICE about criminals. Instead, they receive and review requests from the agency.

He said his office does not pursue people not associated with a crime, regardless of their legal status.

Fresno County Supervisor Garry Bredefeld said he understands people’s fear of immigration enforcement, but law enforcement cooperation with ICE increases public safety.

“I do support ICE getting rid of criminals who are preying on people,” Bredefeld said.

SB 54 Not an Excuse to Cooperate With ICE: Advocates

Community organizers said cooperation with ICE creates fear within the undocumented community. They said that fear keeps people from calling law enforcement about other issues.

Nora Zaragoza, program manager with Faith in the Valley, said SB 54 is not about creating statistics but reducing cooperation with immigration enforcement.

Community Organizer Jessica Flores said law enforcement should not view SB 54 as “an invitation to find justification for enforcement.” While acknowledging the reduction, she said the goal should be zero.

Zanoni said many criminals exploit undocumented communities’ fear of law enforcement.

“It’s not our job to go out and seek out undocumented people in Fresno County,” Zanoni told GV Wire.