U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) played a key role in the recent arrest of Edwin Antonio Hernandez Hernandez, a self-admitted MS-13 gang member and confessed murderer, in Virginia. The arrest took place just weeks before Governor Abigail Spanberger assumed office and signed an executive order ending state cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
According to USCIS, officials identified Hernandez’s criminal history and illegal status during the screening of his asylum and work authorization applications. This information was shared with ICE, which led to Hernandez's arrest at a USCIS appointment in Alexandria.
Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stated, “This self-admitted MS-13 gang member who confessed to five savage murders in El Salvador—including the live dismemberment of one victim—is now off our streets because of DHS law enforcement. These are the criminals that Virginia’s new governor is protecting with her executive order halting cooperation with ICE,” she said. “Governor Spanberger’s actions have made Virginians less safe. 7 of the 10 safest cities in the U.S. cooperate with US. We need cooperation to get criminals out of our communities.”
Governor Spanberger’s executive order reversed a policy from former Governor Glenn Youngkin that required local and state law enforcement to work with ICE. The change came about two and a half weeks after ICE arrested Hernandez.
Hernandez entered the United States illegally in 2015 as an unaccompanied minor at age 16. After being detained by U.S. Border Patrol, he was ordered removed by an immigration judge in 2017. While in custody, he admitted membership in MS-13 and confessed to five murders committed in El Salvador.
Despite these admissions and an existing removal order, Hernandez applied for asylum and work authorization after arriving in the United States. He received a work permit under the Biden administration, which also allowed him to remain in the country after a judge ruled he needed protection from torture if returned home.
For more information on public safety threats arrested by DHS law enforcement, visit wow.dhs.gov.
