In a blistering attack during a congressional hearing, former Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares has condemned Governor Glenn Youngkin’s successor for banning cooperation with ICE, calling it a dangerous betrayal of federal authority. Miyares, citing the U.S. Constitution’s Article 1, Section 8, warns that sanctuary policies are fueling a wave of preventable violence, including the brutal stabbing death of 41-year-old Stephanie Mentor in Fairfax County by a repeat offender ignored by local authorities.
Miyares, once Virginia’s top law enforcer, minced no words in his testimony, labeling the policies as “affirmative obstruction“ that defies the framers’ intent. He pointed to Mentor’s killer, a man with over 30 arrests and a federal removal order, who was released from jail despite ICE detainers. This decision, he argued, put violent criminals back on the streets, directly leading to her death at a bus stop in broad daylight.
The tragedy of Stephanie Mentor isn’t isolated, according to Miyares, who detailed a string of horrors across Virginia. In December 2025, a Fairfax County resident was shot dead in his home just one day after an illegal immigrant with a murder charge was freed. Police had warned officials, but sanctuary rules prevailed, turning a simple ICE notification into a fatal oversight that could have saved lives.
Miyares didn’t stop at anecdotes; he slammed Fairfax County’s formal policy under Commonwealth Attorney Steve Descano, which prioritizes avoiding immigration consequences for criminal offenders. This, he claimed, amounts to discrimination against American citizens, violating the 14th Amendment’s equal protection clause. His organization has petitioned the Justice Department for a civil rights probe.
Echoing broader national concerns, Miyares highlighted how sanctuary jurisdictions like Chicago are repeating Virginia’s mistakes. The recent killing of Sheridan Gorman in Chicago by an illegal immigrant underscores the human toll, with experts tracking over 26,000 declined ICE detainers nationwide since 2022, many involving serious crimes.
What makes these policies even more indefensible, Miyares asserted, is their inefficiency and cost. Honoring an ICE detainer takes mere minutes and saves taxpayers money—deportation costs far less than lifelong support for illegal immigrants. Yet, local leaders persist, driven by ideology rather than facts, endangering communities.
Virginia’s own history offers a stark contrast. Under Governor Youngkin, a state immigration task force arrested 521 criminal immigrants in just eight weeks, including high-profile gang leaders. Miyares praised this as a national model, now dismantled by the current administration’s blanket ban on ICE cooperation, even for convicted felons in state prisons.
This reversal, Miyares warned, represents a catastrophic failure of government’s core duty: protecting its people. Families like Cheryl Mentor’s, grieving the loss of a daughter described as a “beam of light,“ are the real victims of this political posturing. Congress must act swiftly to cut funding for sanctuaries and affirm local law enforcement’s right to collaborate with federal agencies.
Miyares’ testimony comes amid growing scrutiny of state-level interference in immigration enforcement. Critics argue that policies in places like Durham, North Carolina—where detainers were ignored for crimes including homicide—create safe havens for offenders, eroding public trust and safety.
The former AG’s call for accountability extends to the courts, suggesting victims’ families deserve legal recourse against officials who enable such risks. As more stories emerge, like the rape in Herndon or the attempted child abduction, the urgency for reform intensifies.
In Washington, lawmakers are taking note, with hearings like this one exposing the flaws in sanctuary narratives. Proponents claim these policies build community trust, but data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics shows immigrants report crimes at similar rates regardless of cooperation levels.
Miyares concluded his remarks with a plea for unity, urging a return to commonsense enforcement. “Virginia’s people are paying the price,“ he said, naming victims like Katie Abraham and Laken Riley as cautionary tales. The time for debate is over; action is imperative to prevent more needless deaths.
This breaking story reveals deep rifts in America’s approach to immigration, pitting state autonomy against federal mandates. As Governor Spanberger’s policies face mounting backlash, the nation watches for signs of change, knowing that lives hang in the balance.
Experts warn that without intervention, the pattern of violence will persist, turning neighborhoods into battlegrounds. Miyares’ testimony could spark a wave of legal challenges, forcing a reevaluation of sanctuary laws across the country.
In the end, the human cost is undeniable, with families shattered and communities on edge. This isn’t just policy debate; it’s a crisis demanding immediate attention from every level of government.