DHS Urges Virginia Governor and Fairfax Officials to Block Release of Migrant Charged in School Assaults

DHS is calling on Virginia officials to keep 19-year-old Israel Flores Ortiz in custody after he was charged with groping high school students in Fairfax County.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 17, 2026, 9:28 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Fox News

Federal Intervention in Fairfax County Criminal Case

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is taking an active stance against the potential release of an adult student accused of preying on minors. Israel Flores Ortiz, 19, is currently facing nine counts of assault and battery. The charges stem from a series of incidents at a Fairfax County high school where Ortiz allegedly targeted at least 12 female students in crowded hallways. The case has become a flashpoint for tensions between federal immigration authorities and local officials over "sanctuary" policies that limit cooperation with detainer requests.

Victim Allegations and School Security Concerns

According to investigative reports and parent testimonies, the assaults occurred throughout the current school year. Victims allege that Ortiz approached girls from behind and groped them in private areas. The situation has sparked outrage among the student body and parents, some of whom claim the school administration was slow to notify families of the ongoing threat. Stephanie Lundquist Arora, a mother of three students in the district, characterized the situation as a "direct consequence" of policies that prioritize the privacy of undocumented adults over the physical safety of children in public institutions.

DHS Criticizes Rolled Back Cooperation Policies

DHS Deputy Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis released a statement Monday specifically calling out Governor Abigail Spanberger for rescinding previous state mandates that required local jails to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Bis argued that by treating immigration status as a civil administrative matter rather than a criminal one, state leadership is "siding with criminal illegal aliens over American citizens." Federal records indicate that Ortiz entered the country in 2024 and was released pending future court dates, a point DHS officials are using to highlight what they describe as failed border enforcement strategies.