ICE Nabs Violent Illegal Immigrant in Virginia as Immigration Dominates Governor’s Race
Immigration and Customs Enforcement made a high-profile arrest last week in Arlington, Virginia — just as immigration surges to the forefront of the state’s heated gubernatorial race.
Carlos Ramirez-Guzman, a national of El Salvador who has been deported three times, was taken into custody on October 17. Homeland Security officials confirmed to The Daily Wire that Ramirez-Guzman has a criminal record spanning more than two decades, including violent offenses and multiple illegal re-entries into the United States.
“Carlos Ramirez-Guzman racked up an extensive criminal history over the last 21 years he has spent ignoring America’s laws,” said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “Not only has this man been removed from our country on THREE previous occasions, but he also has a violent criminal history of assault with a deadly weapon on a law enforcement officer, domestic battery, and resisting arrest.”
“GOOD RIDDANCE,” Says DHS Official
McLaughlin credited the Trump administration and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem for bringing Ramirez-Guzman’s “crime spree” to an end.
“Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, this criminal illegal alien’s crime spree has come to an end,” she said. “GOOD RIDDANCE, you are not welcome in this country.”
ICE records show Ramirez-Guzman was deported in 2006, 2014, and 2016. Authorities have not confirmed how or when he illegally re-entered the U.S. following his most recent removal.
A Flashpoint in the Virginia Governor’s Race
The arrest comes just days before Virginians head to the polls to choose their next governor — and immigration has emerged as a key issue.
Republican Lt. Governor Winsome Earle-Sears, a legal immigrant from Jamaica, has taken a tough stance on border security and enforcement. “Our borders are a front door, and we have to know who’s coming into the country,” she said on the Keeping It Real podcast. “Are you running from a murder charge, or are you running to something like liberty?”
Earle-Sears has backed Governor Glenn Youngkin’s Executive Order empowering local law enforcement to cooperate with federal immigration authorities. The order, signed in February, was widely praised by law-and-order conservatives.
By contrast, her opponent — Democrat Abigail Spanberger — has pledged to rescind Youngkin’s executive order if elected. According to the Virginia Mercury, Spanberger supports shielding illegal immigrants from state cooperation with ICE, aligning with her party’s broader push for sanctuary-style policies.
ICE Activity Surges Under Trump
Northern Virginia has become a hotbed for immigration enforcement since President Trump returned to office. Counties like Arlington and Fairfax — long considered strongholds for Democrats — have seen a notable uptick in ICE operations, particularly targeting repeat offenders and violent criminals.
The arrest of Ramirez-Guzman highlights exactly the kind of case immigration hardliners have been warning about: a known violent offender, repeatedly deported, somehow able to slip back into the country.
A Stark Choice for Virginia Voters
With early voting already underway and Election Day fast approaching, the Ramirez-Guzman arrest is throwing immigration policy into sharp relief for voters.
Do Virginians want a governor who will strengthen cooperation with federal immigration authorities — or one who will undo enforcement orders and roll out the welcome mat?
For many, the arrest of a three-time deportee with a violent past may make that decision easier.