RESTON, Va. – Federal immigration officials are blasting Fairfax County leaders after a man who had been released from jail despite an ICE detainer request allegedly shot and killed a Virginia resident just one day later.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, Marvin Fernando Morales-Ortez, a national of El Salvador, was arrested in September for assault and brandishing a firearm. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) immediately lodged an immigration detainer, asking that local authorities hold Morales-Ortez for federal custody. Fairfax County, following its sanctuary policies, declined to honor the request and released him back into the community.
On December 17, police in Reston responded to a home where Morales-Ortez allegedly shot and killed a man before fleeing, triggering a manhunt that forced nearby schools into lockdown. He was later captured and charged with second-degree murder and multiple firearms offenses.
DHS said Morales-Ortez has a history of prior arrests, including aggravated assault of a police officer, larceny, and disorderly conduct. Records show he entered the U.S. illegally in 2016 near Hidalgo, Texas, and was released into the country with his mother by the Obama administration. In 2022, the Biden administration reportedly dismissed his immigration proceedings, classifying him as a non-enforcement priority.
“There is blood on the hands of Fairfax County politicians for pushing policies that released this illegal alien from jail and onto the streets of Virginia,” said Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security Tricia McLaughlin. “Just hours after being released from jail, he committed murder in cold blood. Sanctuary policies have deadly consequences.”
ICE said it continues to call on local jurisdictions to honor detainer requests to prevent violent offenders from reoffending after release.
Federal officials are urging victims of crimes committed by noncitizens to contact the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement (VOICE) Office for assistance.