The Department of Homeland Security has urged Virginia officials not to release an undocumented immigrant charged with groping high school girls, raising concerns about public safety and immigration policies.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has requested that Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger and officials in Fairfax County refrain from releasing an undocumented immigrant charged with groping multiple high school girls on school grounds.
Israel Flores Ortiz, a 19-year-old undocumented immigrant, faces nine counts of assault and battery for allegedly groping girls at a Fairfax County high school. Reports indicate that Ortiz approached approximately 12 girls from behind in crowded hallways, grabbing them between the legs and groping their private areas, according to 7News. Parents and victims have stated that these incidents have occurred throughout the school year. Ortiz is currently in the eleventh grade at the school.
According to DHS, Ortiz illegally entered the United States in 2024 and was subsequently released into the country by the Biden administration. He is currently being held without bond at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center, which is operated by the Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office, led by Sheriff Stacey Kincaid.
The sheriff’s office has stated on its website that it does not honor Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) administrative detainers unless accompanied by a criminal judicial order. Governor Spanberger has also rolled back state policies that mandated cooperation with ICE. She has argued that when state and local law enforcement are diverted from enforcing Virginia laws to perform the duties of federal agents, it undermines public trust and creates a culture of fear that hampers law enforcement efforts.
In a recent statement, DHS Deputy Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis criticized Spanberger for her stance, stating that the agency is “calling on Fairfax County sanctuary politicians to NOT release this predator from jail back into our communities to assault more teenage women.” Bis condemned Spanberger for ending former Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin’s policy of cooperation with ICE, suggesting that it prioritizes the rights of undocumented immigrants over the safety of American citizens.
“This 19-year-old criminal illegal alien should NOT have been attending a Virginia high school and allowed to prey on innocent teenage girls,” Bis said, attributing the situation to what she described as the Biden administration’s failed open border policies.
In response to the situation, Allyson Conroy, a spokesperson for the Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office, confirmed that Ortiz remains in custody at the Adult Detention Center. She noted that while it is still early in the legal process, ICE has been notified of Ortiz’s location and can act on their detainer if and when he is ordered released.
Conroy emphasized that the Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office does not obstruct or prevent ICE from acting on their civil detainers. Meanwhile, Stephanie Lundquist-Arora, a mother of three students in the Fairfax County School System, expressed her concerns about the implications of current policies. She stated that the situation reflects “dysfunctional priorities” that prioritize shielding adult undocumented immigrants over the safety of children in public schools.
Lundquist-Arora also alleged that school officials delayed notifying parents about the incidents for two weeks, only doing so after parental pressure mounted.
Fairfax County Public Schools issued a statement indicating that while it cannot comment on specific cases due to federal and state privacy laws, the safety of students and staff is a top priority. The school system expressed gratitude for law enforcement’s swift and thorough response to safety concerns.
Spanberger’s office and the Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the situation.
As the case unfolds, it raises significant questions about the intersection of immigration policy, public safety, and the responsibilities of local law enforcement in Virginia.
According to 7News, the community continues to grapple with the implications of these incidents and the broader impact of immigration policies on public safety.