"Sanctuary jurisdictions are inherently more unsafe because they’re letting these individuals out who have serious convictions," acting ICE director Patrick Lechleitner said in a Friday interview with Fox News.

"Sanctuary jurisdiction" refers to any municipality whose leaders refuse to cooperate with immigration officials when an illegal alien under their jurisdiction commits an offense that would result in deportation.

Lechleitner’s comments—a response to the Thursday arrest of four migrants charged with assaulting a New York City police officer in January—are a notable contradiction of White House policy. One of President Joe Biden’s first actions upon taking office was reversing a federal order that barred sanctuary cities from taking Justice Department funds.