Steve Cortes, president of the League of American Workers, has raised concerns about public safety in Fairfax County. He said that county officials jeopardized safety by not honoring an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer. This followed confirmation from federal authorities that a suspect charged in a fatal shooting in Reston was released from the county jail despite a request to transfer him to immigration custody.
“Had enough of 100% preventable crimes,” said Cortes, Founder. “Extremists in places like Fairfax County prioritize illegals over American citizens. Sometimes their radicalism isn’t just dumb…it’s dangerous…”
According to reports, ICE confirmed that the suspect, arrested in connection with the Reston shooting, had been released from Fairfax County jail despite an ICE detainer request. The suspect was later apprehended after a manhunt. The situation highlights ongoing debates in Fairfax County regarding public safety and cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) explains that an ICE detainer is a written request for state or local law enforcement agencies to notify ICE before releasing an individual. In some cases, it requests brief custody maintenance so ICE can assume custody. DHS frames declined detainers as a public-safety concern when jurisdictions release individuals sought by ICE for immigration custody.
The Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office has issued a policy statement on how its Adult Detention Center handles ICE detainers and immigration warrants. It emphasizes legal limits on holding someone beyond a court-ordered release, stating that ICE is notified when an undocumented immigrant is in custody and arguing for the necessity of a judicial warrant for continued detention.
Cortes, who also serves as senior political advisor to CatholicVote and has been an advisor to President Trump and JD Vance, regularly shares his views through documentaries and columns at cortesinvestigates.com.
