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An illegal alien with a lengthy criminal history has been arrested on sex crime charges in Virginia after a federal immigration enforcement detainer request could have seen him deported from the United States.
Cristobal Liobardo Vasquez-Sanchez, 25, a Salvadoran national, racked up 14 criminal charges this year alone before his May 22 arrest on charges of sexual battery and object sexual penetration by force. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said it had previously issued a detainer for Vasquez-Sanchez, but that request was denied.
At the direction of Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger, Virginia ended state agency cooperation with ICE in February and has repeatedly blocked ICE detainer requests, including in a recent murder case, demanding judicial warrants where immigration experts say such warrants are wholly irrelevant.
Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger speaks during the Center for American Progress IDEAS Conference in Washington, D.C., on May 19, 2026. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)
Just days before Vasquez-Sanchez’s alleged sexual assault, Spanberger issued an executive order adding further roadblocks for federal immigration officers to operate in the state.
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Local reports say that Vasquez-Sanchez came across his victim in a parking garage stairwell in Arlington, where the alleged assault occurred. The victim was able to run away and find help, and the suspect fled but was later captured.
In January, Vasquez-Sanchez was arrested and booked on a violation of pretrial release conditions while he was out on bond stemming from another crime. The following month, he was charged with larceny.
A mugshot of Christobal Vasquez-Sanchez taken on an unknown date. (Department of Homeland Security)
On April 15, he was arrested and charged with public intoxication, assault and battery and assault on a law enforcement officer. Five days later, he was again arrested on a violation of pretrial release conditions.
Between April 26 and May 19, he was charged with public intoxication four times. Stemming from the May 19 incident, he was also charged with disorderly conduct and fleeing from law enforcement.
On Dec. 31, 2025, he was charged with larceny, and on July 19, 2026, he was charged with assault and battery, destruction of property with intent and public intoxication.
Despite the litany of charges, Vasquez-Sanchez was never detained pretrial, and instead released back onto the street each time.
ICE has now lodged another detainer against the suspect.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents stand outside Delaney Hall detention center in Newark, New Jersey. 5/28/26. (Rashid Umar Abbasi for Fox News Digital.)
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“Governor Spanberger’s decision to end cooperation with ICE in Virginia has allowed criminals to be released back into American communities. When politicians bar local law enforcement from working with DHS, our law enforcement officers need to have a more visible presence so that we can find and apprehend the criminals let out of jails and back into communities,” Acting Assistant DHS Secretary Lauren Bis told Fox News Digital.
“While Governor Spanberger continues to allow the release of pedophiles, rapists, gang members, and murderers onto Virginia’s streets, DHS law enforcement will continue to risk their lives to arrest these heinous criminals.”
But Spanberger’s office says the state does support deporting violent criminals.
“Governor Spanberger has repeatedly made clear that violent criminals who are in the United States illegally should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and deported. Under the Governor’s leadership, the Virginia Department of Corrections continues the long-standing practice of notifying ICE when individuals born outside of the United States are in state custody — however, this individual is in local custody,” a spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
“Virginia state law enforcement agencies also continue to assist federal authorities in the apprehension of criminal offenders as part of task forces and ongoing interagency cooperation. As a former federal law enforcement officer who went after child predators, Governor Spanberger will always prioritize the safety and well-being of Virginia families and communities.”