New Jersey sanctuary policy is under fire after State Police refused to take custody of an illegal alien escapee who attempted to surrender. The shocking incident unfolded after four illegal aliens broke out of the Delaney Hall detention center in Newark on June 12, prompting a federal manhunt.
On June 13, one of the escapees, Joan Sebastian Castaneda-Lozada, tried to turn himself in at the New Jersey State Police station in Bridgeton. Despite being a fugitive wanted by the FBI and accused of burglary and theft, state troopers declined to take him into custody due to the state’s sanctuary policies, which prevent cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Castaneda-Lozada later surrendered to ICE and FBI agents in Millville on June 15. A senior Department of Homeland Security official expressed alarm, stating, “Disturbingly, Joan Sebastian Castaneda-Lozada tried to turn himself in to local authorities and was turned away because of the state’s sanctuary policies.”
Federal agents had already apprehended another escapee, Joel Enrique Sandoval-Lopez, on June 13. The two remaining escapees — Franklin Norberto Bautista-Reyes and Andres Pineda-Mogollon — are still at large. The FBI has offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to their capture.
New Jersey’s sanctuary laws have once again raised serious questions about the state’s priorities and its willingness to shield criminal aliens from federal law enforcement. Critics argue that such policies endanger public safety and allow dangerous individuals to avoid accountability.
The Delaney Hall escape and the handling of Castaneda-Lozada’s surrender attempt illustrate the growing tension between state and federal authorities over immigration enforcement. While federal agencies pursue fugitives tied to serious crimes, state law enforcement in sanctuary jurisdictions remain restricted from cooperating, even when suspects voluntarily come forward.
