Federal immigration officers removed a convicted child sex offender from Virginia after warning Governor Abigail Spanberger to stop releasing criminal illegal immigrants back onto the streets.
Story Highlights
- Immigration and Customs Enforcement deported Marcelo Vasquez-Reyna, convicted in Albemarle County for indecent liberties with a child.
- Department of Homeland Security said agents arrested him on March 24 and have now removed him from the United States.
- Homeland Security urged Governor Spanberger to transfer criminal offenders to federal custody instead of releasing them.
- Spanberger denies that Virginia is a “sanctuary state” and says violent offenders should be deported.
ICE Removes Convicted Offender After Virginia Case
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement deported Marcelo Vasquez-Reyna, a Mexican national convicted in Albemarle County, Virginia, of indecent liberties with a child. Local reporting quotes the Department of Homeland Security confirming that agents arrested him on March 24 and that he “has now been removed from the country”. Virginia law defines taking indecent liberties with a child under 15 as a Class 5 felony, underscoring the seriousness of the crime and the public safety reason for removal.
Officials framed the deportation as part of a broader push to prioritize dangerous offenders. Department of Homeland Security releases this summer highlighted multiple arrests of sexual predators and public safety threats to signal enforcement focus on violent conduct. The agency emphasized that federal officers will act when states and localities create gaps, but they also pressed for cooperation so criminals do not cycle back into neighborhoods before federal pickup.
DHS Presses Spanberger on Custody Transfers
On July 27, the Department of Homeland Security publicly asked Governor Abigail Spanberger and Virginia leaders not to release a criminal suspect from jail and to turn him over to federal custody for removal. The message was direct: “commit to not releasing this criminal from jail and turn him over to ICE so we can remove him from our country”. That appeal captured a core dispute over whether state policies help or hinder quick transfers of custody for deportation.
Homeland Security and allied commentary have described Spanberger’s changes as “sanctuary” style limits that weaken coordination, while the Governor has rejected that label. A Virginia news outlet reported Spanberger saying, “Virginia is not a sanctuary state, full stop,” and calling claims that cooperation ended “an absolute lie,” though she said state police would no longer be under federal immigration supervision. These statements show a real policy clash, even as federal officers continue removals.
What Virginia Law Says About The Conviction
Virginia’s code makes “taking indecent liberties with children” a felony when an adult, with lascivious intent, targets a child under 15. The statute sets penalties under Class 5 felony guidelines, reflecting the state’s view that these acts are serious threats to children and families. That legal baseline explains why federal authorities push to remove offenders without legal status after conviction. It also explains public anger when local custody releases delay federal pickup.
DHS announces the deportation of Marcelo Vasquez Reyna, a Mexican national and convicted sex offender. The agency labels him a 'depraved freak' following his guilty plea involving the sexual abuse of his teenage daughter. pic.twitter.com/Uh5vyjXqR0
— News Now (@NewsNowUS) August 18, 2026
Federal officials argue that clean handoffs from local jails to federal custody prevent offenders from returning to communities while cases move. In this case, the Department of Homeland Security says agents made the arrest in March and completed removal. The Governor, for her part, has said violent offenders without legal status should be prosecuted and then deported, “full stop,” a standard that aligns with federal enforcement goals when applied in practice. The test is consistent execution, case by case.
Why This Case Matters For Public Safety
Parents expect their leaders to remove threats fast and without confusion between levels of government. When federal agencies must publicly beg states to hold criminals for pickup, trust erodes. Homeland Security’s call to Virginia shows how gaps can form. In this case, federal officers still got the job done and removed a convicted offender. That is the model that protects families: prosecute crimes, hold offenders, transfer custody, and deport when the law requires it.
Sources:
redstate.com, wjla.com, law.lis.virginia.gov
