How did this happen? Easy. The perp was allowed to walk the streets because, once again, local authorities -- especially those in sanctuary cities and states -- often refuse to cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Authorities in Fairfax County, Virginia not only ignored a detainer request from ICE, but they didn't even notify them that the suspect had been released:
NEW: A Honduran illegal immigrant charged w/ sexual abuse/carnal knowledge of a child in VA was released from Fairfax County jail without notice after the sanctuary jurisdiction ignored ICE’s detainer request. He then assaulted an ICE agent when they found & rearrested him at his…— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) January 21, 2024
ICE issued a press release (emphasis mine):
“Fairfax County refused to honor the ICE detainer lodged against this Honduran noncitizen,” said acting Deputy Field Office Director Erik Weiss. “When ICE detainers are ignored by local authorities, the public is put at risk; unfortunately, this time the result was the unnecessary injury of a federal law enforcement officer while prosecuting the arrest of a noncitizen charged with sexually abusing a Virginia minor and producing child sexual abuse material. ERO Washington remains dedicated to protecting the residents of our communities against threats posed by unlawfully present noncitizens.”
"The Honduran noncitizen unlawfully entered the United States on an unknown date at an unknown location without being inspected, admitted or paroled by an immigration official," the statement added.
Unfortunately, this isn't an uncommon occurrence, and you can see all sorts of similar stories here. This is just another example:
Local officials in Washington ignored an ICE detainer for an illegal immigrant who has been convicted of child molestation.
Thankfully, ICE still managed to arrest him after he was released from jail.
https://t.co/HrhQ3SbIp1— Media Research Center (@theMRC) April 14, 2021
It's amazing that law enforcement agencies within our own country refuse to cooperate with one another due to progressive policies, putting our citizens at risk. "Sanctuary" jurisdictions sound laudable and compassionate, but in reality they often prevent ICE and its Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) from detaining and deporting dangerous criminals.
In 2019, then-ICE Acting Director (and current Deputy Director) Matthew T. Albence warned the nation about the issue:
“As law enforcement professionals, it is frustrating to see senseless acts of violence and other criminal activity happen in our communities, knowing ICE could have prevented them with just a little cooperation,” said Albence. “To the public, who want to live and raise your families in safe neighborhoods, we ask you to hold your lawmakers accountable before you, or someone you love, is unnecessarily victimized by a criminal ICE could have removed from the country.”
They then go on to list a variety of awful crimes by illegals who had been released from uncooperative jurisdictions instead of being held for ICE. Note that this was before Biden enacted his terrible border policies, which have resulted in millions more illegals entering the U.S.
Refusing to cooperate with ICE is not humane, it's not laudable, and it's not compassionate -- it's actually cruel, especially if you or a loved one have been victimized by an illegal immigrant who should have been in custody (or in another country).