Illegal Immigrant Crimes Stir Policy Debate in Fairfax County

Fairfax County, Virginia, is under scrutiny due to an increase in crimes involving illegal immigrants, such as child sexual offenses and murders. A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) report highlights that 75% of all murders in the county are committed by illegal immigrants. This statistic is fueling debates over the county’s sanctuary city policies and their effects on public safety.

A Honduran illegal immigrant, facing multiple child sex crime charges, is now back in federal custody after being released from an immigration detainer by Fairfax County officials. According to DHS, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested Oscar Evaristo Nunez on September 15 during a targeted operation.

Nunez had initially been arrested on August 27, 2025, for charges including aggravated sexual battery against children and non-consensual filming of a minor. ICE filed a detainer two days after his arrest, but local authorities did not honor this request, releasing Nunez without notifying ICE.

Another criminal illegal alien has been taken off the streets by the brave men and women of ICE, with no help from sanctuary politicians in Fairfax County, DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin stated in a news release.

The case has intensified disagreements between the Trump administration and Virginia officials over the county’s lack of cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. The case involves Virginia’s shift away from collaborating with federal immigration enforcement under Governor Spanberger, who assumed office in January 2026. Spanberger has directed state agencies to discontinue agreements with ICE’s 287(g) program.

A Fairfax County representative did not respond to media inquiries. Nunez crossed into the U.S. illegally near Arizona around September 2003 and remains in ICE custody pending immigration proceedings.

Brittany Miller, a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital and a former Independent reporter, contributed to this report. She graduated from Syracuse University in 2023.