Democratic California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office and the Department of Homeland Security clashed online over the state’s protection of an illegal alien who killed an 11-year-old boy. DHS posted a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainer rejected by the state.

ICE announced Tuesday that it lodged an immigration detainer with the San Diego Sheriff’s Office for 44-year-old criminal Mexican national Hector Balderas-Aheelor. He was arrested for a felony hit-and-run that killed 11-year-old Aiden Antonio Torres De Paz a day before Thanksgiving. The DHS press release said the arrest detainer would not be honored because California is a sanctuary state.

Newsom’s press office responded in a post calling the allegation a complete lie.

“As we have repeatedly said: The state coordinates with ICE on the deportation of convicted criminals. California honors federal criminal warrants. Nothing prohibits the federal government from doing its job in this case.”

Just over an hour later DHS responded in a follow-up tweet claiming the governor’s office was playing word games to keep an illegal alien murderer in America.

“California REJECTED the ICE detainer for an illegal alien charged with killing an 11-year-old boy. Gavin Newsom says he’ll only cooperate with ICE if the criminal illegal alien is CONVICTED, meaning California will let him roam free even though he’s been arrested for FELONY hit-and-run.”

Along with its criticism DHS included a cropped picture of an immigration detainer’s rejection on Sunday. The note read No qualifying criminal history, however current charge would qualify upon conviction with a new 1247 from ICE.

When asked about the updated DHS post including the detainer rejection a Newsom spokesperson told the Daily Caller News Foundation that the federal government was not prohibited from doing its job in holding the illegal immigrant responsible for the hit-and-run.

“This driver needs to be held responsible for the tragic hit and run. Nothing prohibits the federal government from doing its job in this case. Unlawfully returning to the United States after deportation is a federal criminal offense and California honors federal criminal warrants. The federal government admits a failure to apprehend the suspect when he unlawfully entered the U.S. California law does not prevent them from acting now.”

Before Balderas-Aheelor’s hit-and-run arrest the criminal Mexican national had been deported from the United States four times. He committed a felony when he illegally entered the country a fifth time according to DHS.

According to local reports law enforcement in the San Diego area responded to a call on November 26 around 5 p.m. local time and located De Paz injured after he was struck by a vehicle. Officials said the driver fled after hitting the 11-year-old in the roadway in front of his home as he went into the street to retrieve a soccer ball.

De Paz was taken to Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego but ultimately succumbed to his injuries on Thanksgiving morning according to NBC7.

Newsom’s claim that California coordinates with ICE on deporting convicted criminals is meaningless when the state refuses to hold criminals until conviction. By requiring conviction before honoring detainers California ensures dangerous illegal aliens remain free.

The rejected detainer document proves DHS is telling the truth. California explicitly stated they would not honor the request despite the current charge qualifying upon conviction.

Balderas-Aheelor being deported four times before killing an 11-year-old boy demonstrates the failure of sanctuary policies. He kept coming back because California protects illegal aliens from federal enforcement.

The boy chasing a soccer ball into the street represents the innocence destroyed by sanctuary state policies. Aiden Torres De Paz should be alive today but Newsom’s laws protected his killer.

California’s requirement for conviction before cooperation means illegal aliens arrested for serious crimes get released back into communities. They can flee or commit more crimes while awaiting trial.

Newsom’s spokesperson claiming nothing prohibits the federal government from doing its job ignores reality. California actively obstructs ICE by refusing detainer requests and warning illegal aliens about enforcement operations.

The claim that California honors federal criminal warrants is irrelevant to ICE detainers. Immigration detainers are administrative holds not criminal warrants which is why California rejects them.

Blaming the federal government for failing to apprehend Balderas-Aheelor when he entered illegally deflects from California’s role. The state could have held him after his arrest and turned him over to ICE but refused.

The detainer rejection note about no qualifying criminal history shows California’s absurd standard. A man deported four times who illegally reentered and then killed a child somehow doesn’t qualify.

De Paz dying on Thanksgiving morning adds tragic irony. While families gathered to give thanks an 11-year-old boy lost his life because California protected his killer from deportation.