An illegal alien accused of murdering his 6-year-old son last week had been shielded from federal immigration enforcement thanks to California’s sanctuary state policy backed by Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) and elected state Democrats.
Briant Reyes Estrada, a 27-year-old illegal alien, has been arrested by the Paso Robles Police Department and charged with second-degree murder and willful harm to a child in connection with the death of his 6-year-old son.
According to police, on May 10, Reyes Estrada allegedly left his young son in his vehicle in the Paso Robles Inn parking lot for several hours. Reyes Estrada found his son, who sustained life-threatening heat-related injuries, and took him to Twin Cities Hospital where he died.
San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Dan Dow has since revealed that Reyes Estrada should never have been in the United States and, even more, would have been turned over to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency weeks ago if not for California’s sanctuary state policy.
“I’m angry that this boy died and I am even more incensed to learn that this child’s death could have been prevented,” Dow said in a video post to X:
Briant Reyes Estrada is now charged with second-degree murder … we will prosecute him to the fullest extent of the law. Here’s what has me so angry: The defendant had been arrested and booked into the San Luis Obispo Jail on April 29 on an unrelated charge. Turns out, he was in this country in violation of our immigration laws. [Emphasis added]
ICE issued an order to detain him at the county jail but we’ve now learned … that Briant Reyes Estrada was released because California’s state sanctuary law prohibited our county jail from detaining him on that detainer. Had Mr. Reyes Estrada been properly detained, he would not have been free and his son might be alive right now. [Emphasis added]
Here’s my statement about the man now charged with the second-degree murder of his 6-year-old son. “I am angry this boy died so unnecessarily. 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… pic.twitter.com/z8rEVpach7
— Dan Dow (@dandow) May 15, 2025
Dow urged Newsom and elected state Democrats to repeal California’s sanctuary state policy.
This week, Reyes Estrada pleaded not guilty to murdering his son and remains in police custody. New details about Reyes Estrada’s past run-ins with the law have since come to light.
Those familiar with Reyes Estrada told The Tribune that the illegal alien had a history of leaving his young son in a vehicle while he went to work. On at least two occasions, Reyes Estrada was reported to Child Welfare Services. It is unclear if any prior actions were taken against him.
John Binder is a reporter for Breitbart News. Email him at
