SouthernWorldwide.com – The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued a warning to politicians in sanctuary jurisdictions following the arrest of an illegal immigrant accused of committing indecent exposure and attempted abduction at a Virginia park. This individual had previously been released from custody after local officials declined to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.
The suspect, identified as Moises Domingo Rico Rosales, a national of Nicaragua, allegedly entered the U.S. illegally in Arizona in 2022. He was reportedly released under the Biden administration’s policies. Rico Rosales was apprehended on Tuesday by Fairfax County police, who connected him to two separate incidents at Wakefield Park in Annandale, Virginia. He now faces charges of abduction with intent to defile and indecent exposure. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has placed a detainer on him, requesting that Fairfax County officials not release him.
DHS revealed that Rico Rosales had been arrested in Fairfax County in 2024 on felony drug trafficking charges. However, he was subsequently released after local authorities refused to honor an ICE detainer. Reports indicate that court records show the 2024 drug charges were dismissed by the office of Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano, who has received support from George Soros. This dismissal paved the way for his release from criminal detention.
“This criminal illegal alien exposed himself to one woman in a park and then attempted to abduct another woman the same day,” stated Acting Assistant Secretary of DHS Lauren Bis. “He was previously arrested for drug trafficking in 2024, but Fairfax County sanctuary politicians refused to cooperate with ICE law enforcement and released him from jail.”
DHS emphasized that this individual was released into the country by the Biden Administration in 2022. The department is urging Governor Abigail Spanberger and other politicians supporting sanctuary policies to commit to not releasing this individual and instead hand him over to ICE custody. The statement highlighted that open border and sanctuary policies have tangible consequences, leading to the creation of more innocent victims.
This case has brought renewed attention to the ongoing debate in Northern Virginia regarding ICE detainers and sanctuary-style policies. This controversy follows an earlier incident where Abdul Jalloh, an illegal immigrant from Sierra Leone with numerous prior arrests, was charged with second-degree murder in the fatal stabbing of Stephanie Minter at a Virginia bus stop.
The Jalloh case contributed to a recent House Judiciary subcommittee hearing that scrutinized Fairfax County’s sanctuary policies. During the hearing, Descano and Fairfax County Sheriff Stacey Kincaid faced questioning from congressional Republicans concerning their handling of criminal illegal immigrants and ICE detainers.
Officials in Fairfax have previously defended their policy, asserting that they do not detain inmates solely based on ICE detainers without a judicial warrant. ICE detainers are requests for local jails to notify federal immigration authorities before an inmate’s release and to hold the individual briefly to allow ICE to take custody. ICE argues that apprehending individuals at large is more unpredictable and potentially hazardous than facilitating jail transfers.
“There was no judicial warrant filed by ICE,” a spokesperson for Sheriff Stacey Kincaid’s office stated. The sheriff’s office also indicated that, at present, there is no ICE detainer on file for Rico Rosales in relation to his most recent charges, despite DHS’s claim that ICE had lodged one. The office clarified that ICE would be able to take him into custody at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center if federal immigration officials file a detainer and respond when he is ordered for release.
“The Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office does not obstruct or prevent ICE from acting on their civil detainers,” the spokesperson added. When questioned about the dismissal of Rico Rosales’ charges in 2024, Laura Birnbaum, chief of staff and public information officer for Descano’s office, explained that the outcomes of criminal cases can vary for numerous reasons. These include insufficient evidence, victims’ reluctance to proceed with prosecution, the absence of key witnesses in court, defendants cooperating with law enforcement or prosecutors, defendants undertaking remedial actions like restitution or treatment, inter-agency coordination, or the initial charge not accurately reflecting the events that transpired.
Birnbaum also addressed criticisms of the office, stating, “Some right-wing activists may attempt to retrofit political motives onto certain case outcomes or claim that prosecutors have the perfect ability to predict and avert future crimes.”
Governor Spanberger’s administration has taken steps to reduce the involvement of Virginia law enforcement in federal civil immigration enforcement. This includes rescinding directives from the previous Youngkin administration, ending state-level 287(g) agreements, and signing legislation that limits state and local law enforcement assistance in civil immigration operations unless a judicial warrant or subpoena is presented. However, her office maintains that local jail custody decisions, including those in Fairfax County, are made by local officials, not the governor.
“As a former federal law enforcement officer who went after child predators, Governor Spanberger will always prioritize the safety and well-being of Virginia’s families,” her office concluded.
