DHS Condemns Virginia Governor’s ICE Cooperation Rollback Following Toddler’s Death

The Department of Homeland Security has directly attributed responsibility to Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger for creating conditions that enabled violence by undocumented immigrants, citing her reversal of a federal cooperation agreement as the root cause. The criticism surfaced after Raul Genesis Ortiz Moran, a Mexican national, was arrested on charges of murdering and sexually assaulting a 2-year-old girl in rural Louisa County, positioned between Richmond and Charlottesville.

Assistant DHS Secretary Lauren Bis stated the tragedy was preventable, asserting the accused should never have remained in the United States under Spanberger’s policies. Bis characterized the governor’s day-one directive rescinding the 287(g) agreement—which had established operational partnerships between ICE and Virginia State Police, fish and game wardens, and corrections officials—as creating a “hotbed for illegal alien crime.”

The child’s mother transported the injured toddler to a sheriff’s office in neighboring Goochland County, where deputies initiated resuscitation efforts that proved unsuccessful. Upon arrival, local authorities immediately coordinated with ICE, resulting in federal custody of Ortiz Moran through the continued cooperation maintained by Goochland and Louisa County law enforcement.

Spanberger’s office responded that the Democratic governor remains committed to prosecuting violent undocumented criminals and pursuing deportations. The statement noted Virginia’s Department of Corrections maintains standard notification procedures with ICE for individuals born outside the United States and continues participation in federal task forces and interagency cooperation frameworks.

DHS cited additional recent cases involving undocumented immigrants accused of serious crimes across Virginia since Spanberger assumed office in January, including rape, abduction, child sexual abuse material production, and carjacking. Officials noted most incidents occurred in Democratic-controlled jurisdictions including Fairfax County, Prince William County, and Loudoun County.