The Department of Homeland Security is blasting Santa Clara County after two Honduran nationals were arrested in the fatal shooting of a 24-year-old mother, with officials saying local policies blocked cooperation with ICE and allowed dangerous people to slip back into the community.
DHS named the suspects as Franquin Inestroza-Martinez and Gerzon Jose Chirinos-Munguia, both Honduran nationals arrested after the slaying of Kembery Chirinos-Flores in early January. Local reports say the victim was killed with a shotgun, leaving behind a 5-year-old son and a stunned neighborhood.
Federal officials note Chirinos-Munguia is the father of the child and carries a history of domestic violence arrests in 2018 and 2019. DHS says those earlier arrests ended with him being released back into the community without ICE being notified, a detail that has hardened criticism of sanctuary policies.
“A man lost his life, and a child is now without a mother. These illegal aliens should have never been able to commit these horrific killings and must NEVER be released from jail into American communities,” Bis told Fox News Digital in a statement. The force behind that statement is anger at what officials call repeated missed chances to keep dangerous people off the streets.
Inestroza-Martinez, described as an alleged accomplice, reportedly had an outstanding New Jersey arrest warrant tied to a March 2025 homicide of a 55-year-old man. DHS also says he was removed from the U.S. in 2013 and again in 2018, then returned illegally before the New Jersey killing and the California homicide.
DHS officials singled out the California Value Act as a key reason local authorities did not notify federal agents or hold suspects for ICE. The CVA limits local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement and prohibits many inquiries into immigration status, a framework critics say shields repeat offenders.
“Instead of cooperating with ICE, Santa Clara sanctuary politicians REFUSED to honor ICE’s arrest detainer and will not notify ICE when these murderers are released from jail,” Bis added. “This insanity of refusing to turn cold-blooded killers over to ICE must end.”
The law was signed in 2017 and later faced legal challenges from the Trump administration, which argued the state was obstructing federal immigration enforcement. Those lawsuits were dismissed at the district and appellate levels, and the Supreme Court declined to take up the case in 2020, leaving the law in place.
Authorities also reported the child survived the incident and has been placed in the custody of child protective services for safety and care. Local officials at a press briefing described the victim as a hardworking young mother balancing multiple jobs while raising her son.
“Kembery was in the prime of her life. She was working two jobs, and she was the loving mother of a 5-year-old son,” Dan Pistor said at a press briefing following the arrests. The blunt words from local leadership underscore the human cost behind the legal and policy debate over immigration enforcement.
Federal and local tensions over cooperation are now squarely in the spotlight as residents and officials demand answers about how two people with alleged violent pasts were free to commit such a brutal crime. Lawmakers and community leaders are already trading blame, with calls from some quarters to revisit state rules that restrict local-federal coordination on immigration matters.
Darnell Thompkins is a conservative opinion writer from Atlanta, GA, known for his insightful commentary on politics, culture, and community issues. With a passion for championing traditional values and personal responsibility, Darnell brings a thoughtful Southern perspective to the national conversation. His writing aims to inspire meaningful dialogue and advocate for policies that strengthen families and empower individuals.