Democratic leaders in Virginia’s most populous county are facing criticism over an ongoing «epidemic» of violence by illegal immigrants that has left 13 dead in a major American suburb near the nation’s capital.

Seven illegal immigrants have been arrested in Fairfax County, a suburb of Washington, D.C., in recent years for violent attacks ranging from infanticide to a machete killing and gang activity.

Despite these arrests, critics of Fairfax County leaders say they are prioritizing criminal illegal immigrants over Americans’ safety by maintaining sanctuary-type policies that limit cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Virginia’s new Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger is also facing criticism for a day-one executive order that reversed the state’s policy of cooperating with ICE.

One critic, Katie Gorka, chair of the Fairfax County GOP, referred to the spate of violence as an «epidemic» ravaging her community. She blamed local Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano and the Democratic-controlled Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.

‘VIRGINIA FATHER’ CHARGED WITH MURDERING INFANT DAUGHTER IS ILLEGAL ALIEN, SAYS DHS

Meet the illegal immigrants behind the ongoing spate of violence in Fairfax County.

Misael Lopez Gomez – Infant murder

ICE has lodged a detainer, or request to hold, with the Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office for Misael Lopez Gomez, 28, who is charged with murder and felony child abuse for allegedly killing his 3-month-old daughter.

According to the Fairfax County Police Department, the 3-month-old was in the care of Lopez Gomez at the time of the incident at a home in Bailey’s Crossroads, Virginia. The department said that during the investigation, detectives and hospital staff observed evidence consistent with abuse. Preliminary results from an autopsy by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined the cause of death to be blunt force trauma.

Lauren Bis, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, called Lopez Gomez a «cold blooded killer» and «monster.» DHS said Lopez Gomez crossed the border into the country illegally in New Mexico in July 2023, under the Biden administration.

Anibal Armando Chavarria Muy – Fatal stabbing

Anibal Armando Chavarria Muy faces second-degree murder charges in Fairfax County, Virginia. (Fairfax County Police)

The same week, ICE lodged a detainer request asking Fairfax County not to release Anibal Armando Chavarria Muy, 38, following his arrest in connection with a fatal stabbing the prior weekend.

ICE PRESSURES SPANBERGER AS FAIRFAX MURDER SUSPECTS TRIGGER NEW DETAINERS IN ‘SANCTUARY’ CLASH

Chavarria Muy is charged with second-degree murder in connection with the stabbing, which also took place in a home in Bailey’s Crossroads. Local outlet WUSA9 reported that officers responding to the scene found a man with multiple stab wounds inside the home. The man was later pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.

According to DHS, Chavarria Muy is in the U.S. illegally and entered the country at an unknown place and time.

Abdul Jalloh – Repeat offender stabbing

Abdul Jalloh has been arrested more than 30 times since entering the U.S., according to officials. (DHS)

A month before Chavarria Muy’s arrest, Fairfax County Police arrested and charged Abdul Jalloh, 32, with second-degree murder in connection with the fatal stabbing of a 41-year-old Virginia woman named Stephanie Minter.

Officers responding to the incident, which took place at a bus stop in the Hybla Valley neighborhood in Fairfax County, found her with multiple stab wounds in her upper body. She was pronounced dead at the scene on Feb. 23.

Surveillance footage captured Jalloh and Minter exiting a bus at the stop where she was killed, and Fairfax County detectives determined Jalloh was allegedly responsible for the stabbing. He is charged with second-degree murder. He is also charged with larceny that occurred the day after the fatal stabbing.

According to DHS, Jalloh is an illegal alien from Sierra Leone who entered the U.S. illegally under the Obama administration in 2012.

DHS said that before his arrest for murder, Jalloh had been arrested more than 30 times and faced charges including rape, malicious wounding, assault, drug possession, identity theft, trespassing, larceny, firing a weapon, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and pickpocketing.

Marvin Fernando Morales Ortez – Fatal shooting

On Dec. 19, DHS said it «vehemently condemns Fairfax County’s sanctuary policies» after Salvadoran illegal immigrant Marvin Fernando Morales Ortez, 23, was charged with second-degree murder for a fatal shooting the day after the agency said local authorities released him after declining to honor a detainer request.

DHS said ICE had lodged a detainer request for Morales Ortez after he was arrested for assault and brandishing a firearm on Sept. 14. Morales Ortez had prior arrests for aggravated assault of a police officer, larceny and disorderly conduct, according to DHS.

Morales Ortez was charged with second-degree murder in connection with a fatal shooting at a home in Reston, Virginia, which is in Fairfax County.

He illegally entered the U.S. in Sept. 2016 near Hidalgo, Texas. DHS said he was released into the country by the Obama administration and that in 2022, the Biden administration dismissed his immigration proceedings and marked him as a non-enforcement priority.

Maldin Anibal Guzman – Mob murder

Maldin Anibal Guzman, 27, a Honduran illegal immigrant, was convicted of second-degree murder by mob in connection with a July 2024 killing in Oakton, within Fairfax County.

Local outlet ABC7 reported that Guzman was given a plea deal by Descano’s office, allowing him to serve only five years in prison. Local affiliate Fox 5 reported that Guzman entered the country illegally through the Texas border under the first Trump administration in 2018. The outlet said that ICE lodged multiple detainers for Guzman with the Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office that were not honored, allowing Guzman back into the community before the mob murder.

Elmer De Jesus Alas Candray – MS-13 executions  

MS-13 gang member Elmer Alas Candray was convicted by a jury of killing five people in Northern Virginia. (Rappahannock Regional Jail)

Elmer De Jesus Alas Candray, 28–29, a Salvadoran illegal immigrant and member of the MS-13 gang, was convicted of six murders, including conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise; five counts each of conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering and murder in aid of racketeering; and three counts of using a firearm during a violent crime resulting in death.

Five of the murders took place in Fairfax County from 2018 to 2022. The killings were carried out by Candray and co-conspirators using pistols and machetes. One of the killings, which took place in Reston in 2020, involved Candray and co-conspirators luring a young woman under false pretenses and taking turns shooting her in the face.

Jose Iraheta Palacios – Triple murder suicide

Jose Angel Iraheta Palacios’ mugshot from 2015 arrest. (Manassas City Police Department)

In Herndon, a community in Fairfax County, Jose Iraheta Palacios, another Salvadoran illegal immigrant MS-13 member nicknamed «Little Crazy,» murdered his girlfriend, Claudia Menjivar, and two children, ages 9 and 10, before jumping to his own death in June 2021.

Palacios had previously pleaded guilty in Fairfax County Circuit Court in 2015 to human trafficking, gang recruitment of a juvenile and three counts of gang participation and was sentenced to nine years. That sentence would have kept him behind bars until 2024, but a judge suspended the sentence, allowing Iraheta Palacios to serve just two years in state prison. He was deported, though later made it back into the U.S.

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Officers next encountered Iraheta Palacios around 6 a.m. June 19, 2021, sitting on top of a parking garage on Democracy Drive in Reston Town Center in Herndon, Virginia, and threatening to jump. An affidavit and police radio transmission revealed he told officers he killed his girlfriend, Claudia Menjivar, and her children after arguing over infidelity.

Officers attempted to talk Iraheta Palacios off the ledge for nearly an hour before he ultimately jumped and died from the fall.

Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano is seen speaking at an event in Fairfax County, Virginia. (Sarah Voisin/Getty Images)

Community ‘epidemic’

Commenting on a post showing the mugshots of the illegal immigrant murderers, the Virginia GOP wrote, «These are the criminals that Virginia Democrats care about more than your family’s safety.»

Gorka, who leads the local Fairfax County Republican committee, asserted that the county is «experiencing an epidemic of crime because of Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano’s unwillingness to prosecute violent offenders.»

«Under Descano, felony convictions, trials and guilty verdicts have dropped sharply, which means repeat offenders are out on our streets,» she said, adding, «This is compounded by the fact that Fairfax County’s ‘Public Trust and Confidentiality Policy,’ adopted by the Democratic-majority Board of Supervisors, functionally makes Fairfax a sanctuary county.»

According to Gorka, the Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office under Democratic Sheriff Stacey Kincaid has declined more than 1,150 detainers in roughly two and a half years.

She said that former Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, had «partially addressed» the problem through an executive order requiring law enforcement cooperation with ICE before Spanberger rescinded the order.

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«Virginia Democrats prioritize criminals over victims, illegal aliens over citizens, and Fairfax County citizens have had enough,» Gorka told Fox News Digital.

In response, Laura Birnbaum, a spokesperson for Descano’s office, told Fox News Digital that she could not comment on the more recent cases involving Lopez Gomez, Chavarria Muy, Jalloh and Morales Ortez, «since they all have pending criminal cases our office is actively prosecuting.» 

Birnbaum said regarding Guzman’s case the plea agreement was «the only way to ensure that the defendants were incarcerated for this brutal murder,» since the victim’s body was found in a creek the next morning, with no DNA or any physical evidence at the scene and «all witnesses in this case were terrified to come forward or assist with prosecution.» 

She emphasized that Candray’s convictions were federal and «our office did not handle them.» Regarding Palacios, Birnbaum said he «died by suicide during this incident» and «there’s no criminal case because he died.» 

Meanwhile, Allyson Conroy, a spokesperson for the Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office, told Fox News Digital that the office «does not obstruct or prevent ICE from acting on their civil detainers nor does the office ‘decline’ detainers.» 

Conroy said the Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office is «committed to the safety and security of our diverse community.» She emphasized that «the law requires that whenever an undocumented person is booked into the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center (ADC), ICE is notified that person has been taken into custody. Federal authorities may enforce their civil process and assume custody of a person once a judge orders that person to be released.»

Fox News Digital reached out to Spanberger and the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors for comment.

Fox News Digital’s Greg Wehner and Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.

El presidente de Paraguay, Santiago Peña, designó este lunes a Carlos Benítez como viceministro de Seguridad Interna en reemplazo de Oscar Pereira y nombró a César Silguero como nuevo comandante de la Policía Nacional, en una reconfiguración del área que el Gobierno vincula con el fortalecimiento de la seguridad ciudadana.

El anuncio lo realizó el ministro del Interior, Enrique Riera, quien en una conferencia de prensa televisada afirmó que la medida apunta a “fortalecer” la seguridad ciudadana en el país. El cambio forma parte del proceso de ajustes impulsados por el Ejecutivo en la segunda mitad del mandato iniciado en agosto de 2023.

Durante la presentación de las nuevas autoridades, Riera destacó los antecedentes profesionales de los funcionarios. “Ellos están acá por sus currículos que, entre paréntesis, son impecables. Entonces, es muy agradable hacer un cambio, porque todos los cambios, hay que decirlo, renuevan esperanzas”, expresó.

El titular del Interior explicó que la salida de Pereira no responde a fallas en su desempeño. “No tiene nada que ver” con bajo rendimiento o errores de ejecución, sostuvo, y vinculó la decisión con la necesidad de profundizar las políticas en curso. Según indicó, el objetivo es avanzar en la “profundización del trabajo” dentro de la Policía Nacional.

Con su designación como viceministro, Benítez, de 55 años, pasó a retiro de la institución policial “de forma voluntaria”, según precisó Riera. El ministro también remarcó que el cambio se definió con antelación. “Era una decisión que estaba tomada antes de la Semana Santa, y lo manejamos con mucha cautela”, afirmó.

Benítez ocupó la comandancia de la Policía Nacional desde agosto de 2023. En ese contexto, había advertido de manera pública sobre la existencia de presuntos elementos dentro de la fuerza que actuaban “al margen de la ley”, en referencia a situaciones internas que requerían control institucional.

La designación de Silguero como jefe de la Policía Nacional completa el esquema de conducción en el área de seguridad. El funcionario se desempeñaba como segundo al mando y ahora asume la titularidad del cuerpo en una etapa que el Gobierno presenta como de consolidación de cambios.

En junio de 2024, Paraguay reformó la ley que rige a la Policía Nacional con el objetivo de elevar el nivel de profesionalismo y ratificar su carácter no deliberante, conforme a la Constitución de 1992. Este marco normativo define el funcionamiento de la institución y establece los lineamientos para su accionar.

En la conferencia de prensa, Benítez señaló que desde su nuevo cargo buscará consolidar el enfoque establecido tras esa reforma. El funcionario indicó que trabajará para afianzar el nuevo paradigma en el desempeño del cuerpo de seguridad.

Los cambios en el Ministerio del Interior se inscriben en una reorganización más amplia del gabinete en la segunda mitad del mandato presidencial. Según las autoridades, las modificaciones buscan reforzar áreas estratégicas de la administración.

Contexto económico y otros movimientos

Una semana antes de estos anuncios en el área de seguridad, el Gobierno dispuso cambios en el Ministerio de Economía y Finanzas. El jefe de Gabinete, Javier Giménez, informó que Peña removió al titular de la cartera, Carlos Fernández Valdovinos, y designó como interino a Juan José Galeano.

“El presidente de la República, Santiago Peña, ha dispuesto en la mañana de hoy cambios en el Ministerio de Economía y Finanzas”, declaró Giménez. El portavoz sostuvo que el funcionario saliente “hizo un trabajo extraordinario” y explicó que el “segundo tiempo” de la gestión requiere capacidades “muy específicas”.

Fernández Valdovinos había impulsado medidas de ajuste fiscal bajo un esquema que definió como “economía de guerra”, en respuesta a la caída de ingresos tributarios. Tras su salida, escribió en la red social X: “Misión Cumplida!!! Todo por mi querido Paraguay”.

Además, el Ejecutivo designó a César Riveros como director del Instituto Nacional de Tecnología, Normalización y Metrología tras la renuncia de Lira Giménez.

En el plano comercial, el presidente promulgó la ley que ratifica el acuerdo de libre comercio entre la Unión Europea y el Mercosur. “Asunción fue la cuna del Mercosur y hoy vuelve a ser protagonista”, escribió Peña tras la firma. El viceministro de Relaciones Exteriores, Miguel Ángel Aranda Daroczi, señaló que el acuerdo representa “una gran oportunidad de integrar el mercado y ofrecer lo que produce el Mercosur a todo el mercado europeo”.

Según datos oficiales, el tratado abarca un mercado de aproximadamente 720 millones de personas y prevé la eliminación de aranceles para más del 90 % del comercio entre ambas regiones.

(Con información de EFE)

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani released his «Preliminary Citywide Racial Equity Plan» on Monday, which quickly prompted pushback from conservatives online and skepticism from President Donald Trump’s Justice Department, with one top official saying she will «review» the move. 

Mamdani’s office explained in a press release that the preliminary report, which the mayor had promised to release within 100 days in office, shows racial disparities in areas like housing, education, and income, and the new plan aims to «establish a new framework for how New York City measures affordability, understands inequity and plans for a more equitable future.»

«The True Cost of Living Measure offers an honest account of what it actually costs to live in this city — and who is being left behind. It shows that this is not a crisis affecting a small minority of New Yorkers. It is a crisis touching the vast majority of our city, in every borough and every neighborhood,» Mamdani said in the press release.

«But we know this crisis is not felt equally. Black and Latino New Yorkers — who have been pushed out of this city for decades — are bearing the brunt. The Preliminary Racial Equity Plan is where we begin to reverse that pattern. These reports make one thing clear: we cannot tackle systemic racial inequity without confronting the affordability crisis head-on, and we cannot solve the cost-of-living crisis without dismantling systemic racial inequity.»

MAMDANI’S ‘GUN VIOLENCE’ COMMENTS AFTER KILLING OF 7-MONTH OLD BABY SPARK OUTRAGE: ‘ABSOLUTE DISGRACE’

Mamdani’s announcement quickly sparked pushback from conservatives, as well as from the Trump administration, expressing concerns about race-based initiatives and spending which the administration has been working to undo since taking power last year.

«Sounds fishy/illegal,» DOJ Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon posted on X. «Will review!»

«Straight-up racism against White people,» conservative influencer account Libs of TikTok posted on X. 

«The reality is Mamdani is implementing blatantly racist policies that reward and punish people based on their skin color,» conservative commentator Paul A. Szypula posted on X.

The city billed the racial equity plan as the «first time any New York City administration has required major city agencies to examine their work through a racial equity lens and identify and eliminate disparities» and said the plan sets goals across seven domains that include: «Children, Youth, Older Adults and Families; Economy; Housing and Preservation; Infrastructure and Environment; Health and Wellbeing; Community Safety, Rights and Accountability; and Good Governance and Inclusive Decision-Making.»

The report cites a sizable gap in the median net worth of white households compared to Black households while reporting that Black New Yorkers also have a lower life expectancy and suggests the way to address those gaps is an expansive framework featuring more than 200 agency-level goals, over 800 proposed strategies, and roughly 600 performance indicators intended to track progress over time.

«Inequity has been embedded in the foundation of our city and nation since their inception; dismantling it requires a collective effort,» NYC Chief Equity Officer and NYC Mayor’s Office of Equity & Racial Justice Commissioner Afua Atta-Mensah said in Monday’s press release.

NYC LANDLORDS FIRE BACK AT ‘RACIST’ MAMDANI AIDE’S CLAIM THAT TIES HOMEOWNERSHIP TO ‘WHITE SUPREMACY’

«The NYC Preliminary Citywide Racial Equity Plan reflects the city’s commitment to systemic transformation—turning our values into actions. From housing and healthcare to education and infrastructure, every agency plays a pivotal role in reshaping how government serves New Yorkers. This plan outlines measurable goals and actionable strategies to advance racial equity, promote justice and create lasting change.»

Fox News Digital reached out to Mamdani’s office and the DOJ for comment.

Dating back to his mayoral campaign, Mamdani has faced intense criticism for his focus on race and «equity, including a policy proposal, «Stop the Squeeze on NYC Homeowners,» that outlined his plans to «shift the tax burden from overtaxed homeowners in the outer boroughs to more expensive homes in richer and Whiter neighborhoods.» 

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New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks at a Ramadan Iftar hosted by his team at the New York Taxi Workers Association, Wednesday, March 18, 2026, in New York. (Angelina Katsanis/AP)

In February, Mamdani faced criticism over his budget plan that stated the Office of Racial Equity would receive $5.6 million annually, while the Commission on Racial Equity would be allocated $4.6 million, a combined total of $10.2 million. The new figure represents roughly a $3 million increase — or about a 42% jump — from the approximately $7.2 million allocated last year.

Fox News Digital’s Amanda Macias contributed to this report.