U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, in collaboration with several federal law enforcement agencies, arrested a Guatemalan national and convicted sex offender, Ander Cortez-Mendez, in Falls Church, Virginia, on April 2. The agencies involved included the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Diplomatic Security Service.
ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Washington, D.C. Field Office Director Russell Hott stated, "Ander Cortez-Mendez is a convicted sex offender, and exactly the type of illegal alien that ICE officers seek to remove from Washington, D.C. and Virginia. We refuse to allow such offenders to continue to threaten the residents of our neighborhoods. ICE Washington, D.C. and our law enforcement partners will continue to arrest and remove criminal aliens from the streets of our communities."
Cortez-Mendez was initially apprehended by the U.S. Border Patrol after illegally entering the United States near the Rio Grande Valley, Texas, on February 4, 2018. He was subsequently issued a notice to appear before a Justice Department immigration judge.
On March 16, 2024, Cortez-Mendez was arrested by the Fairfax County Police Department for sex crimes. Despite an ICE immigration detainer lodged on March 18, 2024, the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center released Cortez-Mendez back into the community.
Later, the Fairfax County Circuit Court found him guilty of consensual sexual intercourse with a child on May 20, 2024. Although sentenced to three months in prison, the sentence was suspended entirely.
The public is encouraged to report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form. Additional information about ICE's mission to enhance public safety can be found on their social media platform.
