The suspect, Juan Manuel Sierra-Leyva, is a Mexican national who is in the United States illegally, ICE sources told Fox.<\/p>\n
The homeless man tackled and zip-tied by onlookers<\/a> who say he was trying to start fires with a blowtorch near a Los Angeles wildfire is an illegal immigrant who will likely be protected by California\u2019s sanctuary city status, according to sources.<\/p>\n The suspect is Juan Manuel Sierra-Leyva, a Mexican national who is in the United States illegally, sources\u00a0told The Post.<\/p>\n He\u00a0was chased and taken down by residents of Woodland Hills after they allegedly saw him torching old Christmas trees and debris on fire with what one resident described as a \u201cflamethrower\u201d soon after the massive wildfire began Thursday.<\/p>\n The suspect is being held on a felony probation violation, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) said, without detailing his previous conviction.<\/p>\n Detectives are still investigating it as possible arson, but LAPD Assistant Chief Dominic Choi said Friday that there was not immediately enough evidence<\/a> for that charge.<\/p>\n ICE placed a detainer request on him three days ago, but the federal agency does not expect it to be honored due to California\u2019s sanctuary state law, sources said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe lack of communication between local and federal law enforcement agencies in Los Angeles due to sanctuary policies put in place by LA city council and Governor [Gavin] Newsom, have resulted in many arrests that have been unreported to and followed up by ICE,\u201d a law enforcement source told The Post.<\/p>\n \u201cMany of which are criminals who have numerous encounters with local law enforcement for serious crimes,\u201d they added.<\/p>\n California\u2019s sanctuary state\u00a0law,\u00a0passed in 2017, ensures that no state resources are used to assist federal immigration enforcement.<\/p>\n The Los Angeles City Council unanimously\u00a0passed an ordinance in November<\/a>\u00a0that prohibits\u00a0the use of\u00a0city resources and personnel to carry out federal immigration enforcement.<\/p>\n Sierra-Leyva has a lengthy rap sheet in LA County and has been convicted of multiple crimes \u2014 including assault with a deadly weapon in 2023, records show.<\/p>\n He has collectively spent more than two years in jail, sources told The Post.<\/p>\n It\u2019s not clear where or when he crossed into the US.<\/p>\n Video that went viral\u00a0shows neighbors cornering and then detaining Sierra-Leyva as he holds what one resident described as a \u201cflamethrower\u201d on the street, with one man yelling at him: \u201cPut it down!\u201d<\/p>\n