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Father released despite ICE detainer, charged with murder

May 15, 2025

Briant Reyes Estrada

By KAREN VELIE

Weeks before a Mexican national allegedly murdered his son, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement issued a detainer to deport the San Luis Obispo County Jail inmate. Federal and local prosecutors say the child would be alive today if the detainer had been honored.

“ICE issued a detainer to deport this alien, but he was released from jail because of California’s sanctuary state laws,” U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli posted on Instagram. “Had California allowed local law enforcement to honor the immigration detainer against this defendant, this child would be alive today.”

In Nov. 2024, Briant Reyes Estrada allegedly used a former employer’s credit card at a hardware store in Cambria, where he spent $1,000.

On April 29, he was booked in the San Luis Obispo County Jail on charges of false impersonation, falsifying a driver’s license, and embezzlement related to the credit card purchases. ICE then issued a detainer to deport Reyes Estrada.

However, deputies released Reyes Estrada, who is in the country illegally, in compliance with California’s sanctuary state law.

Reyes Estrada, a 27-year-old man with a history of leaving his son in his car while he worked, allegedly locked his 6-year-old son David in his car while he worked a 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. shift at the Paso Robles Inn on May 10. Paso Robles experienced a record breaking 99 degree high temperature that afternoon.

At the end of his shift, Reyes Estrada drove his son from the Paso Robles Inn parking lot to Twin Cities Community Hospital in Templeton. The child was pronounced dead at the hospital.

“I am angry this boy died so unnecessarily,” said San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Dan Dow. “And I am even more incensed to learn this child’s death could have been prevented! California’s sanctuary state law (SB 54) should be repealed.”

Reyes Estrada pleaded not guilty to charges of second degree murder and child abuse on Wednesday.

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18 Comments
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OMG people this isn’t some “liberal sanctuary” issue. The REASON for the law is to comply with court rulings because you cannot prolong someone’s detention without due process. If ICE screws up, then the local authorities can be held civilly liable and it can end up costing a great deal of money.


If ICE wants to deport someone, they need to show up and grab the person before they are released. This is the case of incompetent feds blaming “liberal” policies that are basic Constitutional issues.


-34

Wrong! They are not constitutional issues. They are purely political issues by Democrats that created the sanctuary cities and now Governors like Newsome are doing the same for the entire state. If any citizen did the same as this guy they would be in jail!


8

It absolutely is a liberal policy that allowed this to happen. Sanctuary cities/state policy allowed this illegal immigrant to walk free from an ice retainer that would have kept him from killing the little boy because he would have been in ICE custody.


It is the sanctuary liberal policies that are to blame, to completely blame. Don’t even try to blame it on anything other than Sanctuary policies.


3

How much checking did the Paso Robles Inn do when hiring this man?


41

Diaturbing comment and article. SHAMEFUL using a childs death to push a narrative! GROSS behavior.


-70

When someone dies due to politicians bad policies, isn’t that GROSS behavior. I almost lost my life to an illegal immigrant who ran head on to me. He fled the scene and later the country. When is a good time to enforce the laws of this country? Not even after the death of a child! Quit pushing your narrative and start supporting Americans who worked so hard to come here LEGALLY!


32

I too was hit (rear ended) by an illegal immigrant who fled the scene on foot then returned to Mexico then no doubt returned illegally. No accountability for him. He had no insurance and my insurance ended up paying for everything including subsequent surgery that was required. Fortunately, the CHP determined I was 100% not at fault and my insurance premium did not increase. But this is the death of an innocent child. He should rot in prison in Mexico!


8

Good news for California. We have to keep fighting Trump ! Nonmatter what .


-84

Whoever has their signature on his release form should be arrested for manslaughter…

this crap has to stop…


86

Hopefully the liberals will realize their soft on criminals utopia is a complete failure. Criminals belong in jail.


45

Those that are here illegally should be in jail in the country they came from. Not on taxes of those here legally.


4

Just another hardworking undocumented alien doing a job that Americans don’t want to do?


20

Wwll I was born and Raised in Southern California and served my country, and moved up here, and only here in Paso Robles have I been yelled at go back to Mexico you wetback. so what the Fcuk you got to say about that?


-90

So what’s your point?


30

What I have to say about that is that you shame yourself with your attention seeking comment. The issue isn’t some meat heads possibly saying mean things to you. It’s about a boy that died needlessly because of horrific parenting and idiotic state laws and policies.


That said, thank you for your service.


15

What I have to say is, ” Thank you for your service” and “I’m sorry that an ignorant racist person yelled at you” and “What does this have to do with a criminal, murdering father killing senselessly killing his innocent child?”


4

Excellent interviews with Kenny Enny and Dan Dow today Hadn’t realized what illegals go through to pay the debts they owe to their smugglers. Wow.


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