Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is currently in a custody battle with Virginia and New York authorities over two vicious illegal alien murderers.
In Virginia, in sanctuary Fairfax County, authorities released El Salvadoran illegal Marvin Fernando Morales-Ortez a day before he murdered a Reston man. In New York, Guatemalan illegal Santos Vasquez Ramirez started off December by strangling a cab driver to death after arguing with him over the fare. Ramirez then confessed to the crime and appeared to be grinning after his arrest.
ICE has lodged detainers for both of the illegals, but so far has not obtained custody. The New York detainer request was just filed this weekend, but the Virginia request has gone nowhere because of leftist authorities.
“Santos Vasquez Ramirez should’ve never been in our country in the first place and provided the opportunity to gruesomely take the life of Aurelio Zhunio-Orbez," said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin in a Dec. 20 press release.“Open border policies have deadly consequences. ICE lodged an arrest detainer with local authorities to ensure this criminal illegal alien is never allowed back into American neighborhoods.”
Ramirez is accused of homicide and robbery after two men found the body of Aurelio Zhunio-Orbez in the Croton Falls Reservoir. NBC4 New York reported that the killer confessed to the crime and appeared to be smiling broadly after his arrest. It was his confession that shed light on why Ramirez killed Zhunio-Orbez — apparently Ramirez didn’t like the fare he was charged. Zhunio-Orbez was spotted alive picking up a customer at a Metro station in Brewster, New York, but was not seen again until his body was found in the reservoir. Ramirez apparently robbed the cab driver besides killing him.
Sheriff Brian Hess said, “The investigation involved a comprehensive review of video surveillance, forensic evidence, and information developed through coordinated efforts with partner agencies. Investigators canvassed numerous surveillance systems and analyzed evidence that ultimately led to the identification and arrest of the suspect.”
As for Morales-Ortez, the Reston killer, he is a serial criminal whom woke authorities have let off the hook for dangerous crimes over and over again. His latest release from custody was mere hours before he murdered his latest victim, and occurred after an ICE detainer request from September. In fact, county authorities previously dropped murder charges against the illegal alien, only for him to kill again.
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ICE issued a statement to Border Hawk News about the illegal. “On December 17, Marvin Fernando Morales-Ortez, a criminal illegal alien from El Salvador with prior criminal charges for assaulting law enforcement/first responders allegedly gunned down a Virginia resident in Reston, Virginia,” ICE affirmed. Fairfax County Commonwealth Attorney Steve Descano, who dropped the older murder charge, is under consideration for an influential position under the incoming Democrat governor of Virginia, according to WJLA reporter Nick Minock.
The Department of Homeland Security announced on Dec. 19:
DHS Calls on Fairfax County Politicians to Honor ICE Detainer for Criminal Illegal Alien Previously Released Because of Their Sanctuary Policies Who Went on to Commit Murder the Next Day…Following his arrest for assault and brandishing a firearm, ICE immediately lodged an arrest detainer on September 14, 2025. Fairfax sanctuary politicians REFUSED to honor it and instead RELEASED this criminal illegal alien back into Virginia neighborhoods.
So the death of the Virginia man was made possible by authorities who simply wanted to defy the Trump administration. How despicable.
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