DHS criticizes Fairfax County after ICE detainer dispute in child sex crime case

Homeland Security officials criticized Fairfax County, Virginia, after the county released a Honduran immigrant accused of child sex crimes despite an ICE detainer request. The dispute has renewed debate over cooperation between local authorities and federal immigration officials. According to DHS and ICE, Oscar Evaristo Nunez was arrested in Fairfax in August 2025 on multiple charges, including aggravated sexual battery and unlawful filming involving minors. County officials later released him from custody, and ICE arrested him again more than a year later. Fairfax prosecutors said they objected to the release and argued that ICE custody disrupted an active case. ICE and DHS countered that refusing detainers can put public safety at risk, while Virginia officials said they continue to notify federal authorities when eligible individuals are in state custody.