Two criminal illegal immigrants in custody of a New Jersey county were released and not handed over to ICE after detainer requests were filed and the men are now in removal proceedings.

The two men were in the custody of Middlesex County and ICE filed immigration detainers on the two individuals, according to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency. But the county refused to honor the detainer requests and instead released the criminal illegal immigrations from the correctional facility on the same day the detainer requests were filed.

ICE reported on Monday the two men’s removal proceedings are now pending after their arrests.

ICE lodged an immigration detainer on Aurelio Hernandez Cortez, a Mexican citizen, with the Middlesex County Adult Correctional Facility on May 18. The MCAC released Cortez on the same day without notifying ICE.

Cortez, according to the agency, has a pending criminal charge in Middlesex County. ICE arrested Cortez outside his residence in Perth Amboy the following day after his release from the correctional facility.

The second man, Maulik Gajjar, an Indian citizen, was released from the MCAC on May 22 — the same day ICE lodged an immigration detainer with the facility.

Gajjar, who is facing state criminal charges, was arrested June 7 in Iselin.

ICE did not respond to a request by The Daily Caller regarding the crimes Gajjar and Cortez allegedly committed. TDC also asked the agency via email how many additional man hours by the agency were expended to arrest the men after the New Jersey county refused to cooperate with federal authorities.

“As a nation, we must protect the integrity of our immigration system and the removal of illegal aliens, especially those with a criminal history, this is one of ICE’s top priorities,” said John Tsoukaris, ERO Newark field office director, in a statement to the press Monday.

“ICE shares the county’s ultimate objective to protect public safety and national security while simultaneously preserving the critical community police bond. As such, county jails jails that fail to work with ICE put their communities at risk.”

Middlesex County has refused to work with ICE, reports show. In April two other criminal aliens were released from custody into the community, according to a report by NJ.com.

Another criminal illegal alien, reported on by The Daily Caller back in May, was released on bail and not handed over to ICE after the agency issued a warrant. He went on to rob numerous other homes after his release.