U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has taken custody of an illegal alien from El Salvador who was convicted of groping multiple teenage girls at a high school in Fairfax County, Virginia, according to agency statements and local news reports.
Israel Flores Ortiz, who crossed the U.S.-Mexico border in 2024 and was released into the country under the Biden administration, was arrested by ICE agents on August 31, the day after he walked out of the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center.
Ortiz had been convicted in April on nine counts of groping girls at Fairfax High School. The incidents came to light in March when about a dozen students accused him of touching them in the school’s hallways.
ICE Arrest and Removal Order
In a statement to ABC7 News, an ICE spokesperson confirmed the arrest: “On August 31, ICE officers arrested Israel Flores-Ortiz following his release from the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center.”
The spokesperson added that a Justice Department immigration judge had ordered Ortiz removed from the United States on August 10. “Flores-Ortiz will remain in ICE custody pending his removal from the country,” the statement said.
ICE had previously placed a detainer on Ortiz, ensuring that local authorities would hand him over to federal agents upon his release from criminal custody.
Timeline of School Incidents and Delays
According to Breitbart News, school officials at Fairfax High School were aware of the groping incidents for more than two weeks before notifying parents. The delay in alerting the school community drew criticism from parents and local observers.
Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano initially agreed to allow Ortiz to be released from jail after charges were filed, but a judge rejected that arrangement, keeping Ortiz behind bars until his conviction and sentencing.
Ortiz served less than 140 days in jail before being transferred to ICE custody. His removal order from an immigration judge means he is now set to be deported to El Salvador, though the timeline for that removal has not been publicly disclosed.
Context of Border Policy
The case has reignited debate over immigration enforcement and the release of border crossers into U.S. communities. Ortiz’s entry in 2024 during the Biden administration and his release into the interior, rather than being detained, has become a focal point for critics who argue such policies pose public safety risks.
ICE’s arrest of Ortiz follows a pattern of federal agents detaining convicted criminals who are in the country illegally after local jail releases, often under detainer requests that are not universally honored by local jurisdictions.
Fairfax County authorities did not publicly comment on the case beyond confirming the transfer to ICE. The school district also declined to discuss specific disciplinary or notification protocols related to the incidents.
The case remains a sensitive issue in the community, as families of the victims have expressed frustration over the initial delay in notification and the relatively short jail sentence served by Ortiz.
Source: www.breitbart.com — https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2026/09/01/ice-takes-custody-of-illegal-alien-convicted-of-groping-nine-girls-at-virginia-high-school/