The sanctuary state of California refused 5,600 requests by federal immigration officials over two years to turn over criminal illegal aliens, state data finds.

In an exclusive interview with SiriusXM Patriot’s Breitbart News Tonight, Immigration Reform Law Institute (IRLI) Executive Director Dale Wilcox revealed that within a 27-month period, the state of California had failed to honor about 5,600 Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainers which are the holds ICE agents file to local jails and police to request that an illegal alien be turned over to them for arrest and deportation.

Of these 5,600 failed ICE detainers, more than 3,400 were lodged against an illegal alien who had been classified “level 1” and “level 2” offenders — meaning that these illegal aliens had been charged with crimes like homicide, kidnapping, sexual assault, robbery, aggravated assault, drugs, and fraud.

“The bottom line is, sanctuary cities are neither humane or compassionate,” Wilcox told Breitbart News Tonight. “They’re dangerous policies that cost Americans lives … what will it take for these anti-borders politicians to wake up and put the safety and security of their citizens, their legal residents before the interests of criminal aliens.”

About 250 of the ICE detainers not honored had been filed to Napa County and Sonoma County law enforcement officials. These two California counties had sanctuary city policies before the state’s statewide sanctuary policy.

The 5,600 failed requests by ICE to have criminal illegal aliens turned over to them came before California enacted their statewide sanctuary policy, where all local jails and counties are prohibited from cooperating with federal immigration officials.

IRLI researchers said records after the passage of California’s sanctuary state policy are likely to show an increased number of cases where local jails and law enforcement officials refused to turn criminal illegal aliens over to ICE.

In a specific case, most recently, Wilcox noted that Napa County, California deputy Riley Jarecki was nearly killed by three-time deported illegal alien Javier Hernandez-Morales during a traffic stop after local officials refused to turn him over to ICE agents for deportation.

“Its own deputy almost got killed as a result of its refusal to honor ICE detainer requests,” Wilcox said. “And this individual had been deported three times in the past … so they say there’s no need emergency or need for a wall, this criminal alien is just walking back into the country.”

ICE had requested four separate times that Hernandez-Morales be turned over to them to be arrested and deported back to Mexico. Three of the detainers were placed with the Napa Couty Sheriff’s Department and one was placed with the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Department. None of the ICE detainers were honored.

Wilcox said Americans’ lives are being put at risk in sanctuary cities and sanctuary states like California, all so that Democrats are able to import potential voters.

“With the Democrats, it’s about potential, future voters,” Wilcox said. “They have an interest in bringing in new voters so that they can win elections. That’s what that’s all about. I mean, 10 years ago, Democrats weren’t out preaching sanctuary cities and open borders, that just wasn’t their party platform. They’ve swallowed this belief that if you want to stay in power, if you want to win future elections, more voters and diverse voters is the way to go.”

“Sanctuary cities are dangerous. They’re not humane, they’re not compassionate,” Wilcox continued. “People are dying. It’s senseless and avoidable deaths. There’s no excuse for politicians to sell out their constituency for potential, future voters.”

Listen to Wilcox’s full interview here:

Breitbart News Tonight broadcasts live on SiriusXM Patriot Channel 125 from 9:00 p.m. to Midnight Eastern (6-9:00 p.m. Pacific).

John Binder is a reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on Twitter at @JxhnBinder.