U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced the arrest of Jorge Armando Melendez-Gonzalez, a Salvadoran national with a history of multiple arrests in Virginia. According to ICE, Melendez-Gonzalez was taken into custody on October 24 after being released several times by Fairfax County authorities due to local sanctuary policies.
Between March 19, 2018, and July 18, 2025, Melendez-Gonzalez was arrested ten times and faced charges for nineteen different crimes. These included three counts of malicious shooting, unlawful wounding, use of a firearm in commission of a felony, assault and battery, assault on a family member, grand larceny, trespassing, possessing false government identification, disorderly conduct, public intoxication, disturbing the peace and making a false statement to law enforcement.
ICE stated that it had issued two immigration detainers for Melendez-Gonzalez with the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center—one on August 28, 2023 and another on July 18, 2025. On both occasions county officials did not honor the detainers and released him back into the community.
“Thanks to the brave men and women of ICE law enforcement, this serial violent criminal with 10 previous arrests is now off of Virginia’s streets. Fairfax County refused to honor two ICE arrest detainers and chose to release this criminal back onto Virginia’s streets. Virginia sanctuary politicians protected this criminal illegal alien and allowed him to terrorize American citizens,” said Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin. “These sanctuary policies make Virginians less safe.”
Melendez-Gonzalez entered the United States illegally on June 22, 2015. An immigration judge ordered his removal from the country on October 4, 2016.
