Feds Call Out Sanctuary Policies After Illegal Immigrant Accused Of Groping Multiple Girls
Federal officials are raising alarms over sanctuary policies in Virginia after a 19-year-old illegal immigrant was accused of groping multiple teenage girls at a public high school.
Israel Christopher Flores-Ortiz, a student at Fairfax High School, has been charged with nine counts of assault and battery after roughly a dozen girls came forward with allegations.
According to reports, the victims say Flores-Ortiz approached them from behind in school hallways and touched them inappropriately over a period of several months.
“It was not just a butt grab,” one parent said. “It was a groping of a private area.”
Authorities say the alleged incidents involved placing hands between victims’ legs, as well as unwanted touching of their bodies.
Flores-Ortiz, who is legally an adult, entered the United States in 2024 and was later released into the country.
The case has drawn sharp criticism from the Trump administration, which is now urging local officials not to release the suspect back into the community.
“This 19-year-old criminal illegal alien should NOT have been attending a Virginia high school and allowed to prey on innocent teenage girls,” said Homeland Security Deputy Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis.
Bis also blamed prior border policies and called on local leaders to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.
“We are calling on Fairfax County sanctuary politicians to NOT release this predator from jail back into our communities,” she said.
The Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that Immigration and Customs Enforcement has been notified of the suspect’s location.
Officials said ICE can take Flores-Ortiz into custody if he is released, but did not commit to proactively coordinating with federal agents beyond that notification.
Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger has faced criticism for policies limiting cooperation with ICE, though her office has not commented on the case.
Parents in the community have also expressed outrage, accusing school officials of downplaying the seriousness of the allegations.
Some parents said the school delayed notifying families about the incidents for weeks.
“They have attempted to sweep it under the rug,” one mother said.
Others criticized a letter sent by the school, claiming it minimized the behavior described by victims.
Parents also reported that some of the girls involved have faced harassment and bullying from peers following the allegations.
Fairfax County Public Schools said it could not comment on specific details due to privacy laws.
However, the district stated that student safety remains a top priority and that all reported incidents are fully investigated.
The case has reignited debate over sanctuary policies and cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities.
Federal officials argue that stronger coordination is necessary to prevent suspects accused of serious crimes from being released back into communities.