‘Out of control’ killings in Spanberger’s Virginia reach ‘insane’ point as migrant charged in stabbing spree
Virginia authorities are grappling with a surge of violent crimes linked to individuals living in the country without legal permission, prompting federal officials to ask state leaders to keep certain suspects behind bars until they can be deported.
The latest flashpoint occurred in Staunton, where police responded to a stabbing that left one woman dead and another hospitalized. At the scene they apprehended Freddi Chigo Mil, a Mexican national who was later charged with second‑degree murder and aggravated malicious wounding that caused permanent impairment, according to jail records. On the same day, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) took into custody Yinmi Molina‑Zepeda, a Salvadoran man wanted in his home country for aggravated homicide and other offenses, after his arrest in Woodbridge.
ICE immediately sent a request to Governor Abigail Spanberger and other officials who support sanctuary policies, urging them not to release Mil while he awaits trial. The agency said it had lodged a detainer asking the governor to cooperate so that Mil could be removed from the United States once the legal process concludes. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin characterized the situation as a direct result of the state’s sanctuary approach, stating, “this is what the Commonwealth of Virginia has become under the sanctuary policies of Governor Abigail Spanberger and her fellow sanctuary politicians.” He added that the illegal immigrant from Mexico had been charged with murder after a stabbing spree that killed one woman and injured another, and warned, “It’s time to put an end to these preventable tragedies,” noting that deporting people who are in the country illegally saves lives.
Victims’ advocacy groups echoed the alarm. Jennifer Harrison, executive director of the Victims' Rights Reform Council, told reporters that “everything is out of control in these upside‑down jurisdictions run by politicians like Spanberger who call themselves ‘moderate Democrats’ while implementing policies that put criminals ahead of victims and public safety.” She asked, “How much blood has to be spilled in our streets before elected officials wake up and change course?” and warned that the federal government now finds itself pleading with state and local officials not to release dangerous immigrants back into communities.
The governor’s office responded by emphasizing Spanberger’s commitment to public safety. A spokesperson said she “strongly believes violent criminals who are in the United States illegally should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and deported.” The statement noted that her administration continues a long‑standing practice of informing ICE when foreign‑born individuals are held in state custody, and that Virginia law‑enforcement agencies still take part in joint task forces and cooperate with federal partners. The spokesperson also highlighted Spanberger’s background as a former federal officer who pursued child predators, asserting that she will always prioritize the safety of Virginia families.
Critics of the governor’s stance offered a harsher appraisal. Sean Kennedy, president of Virginians for Safe Communities, described her actions as “pro‑criminal” rather than pro‑immigrant, arguing that shielding foreign‑born offenders from removal puts predators back on the streets. He claimed those predators often victimize other immigrants, the very population the governor says she wants to protect. Kennedy went further, saying victims’ faces should haunt the governor when she looks in the mirror, and insisted that every murder, rape or robbery committed by someone in the country illegally could have been avoided if the individual had never been allowed to stay.
State‑wide data released by the Department of Homeland Security shows 22 violent‑crime cases involving undocumented immigrants in Virginia this year, ranging from child pornography and sexual offenses against minors to murder, rape, abduction and attempted disarmament of law‑enforcement officers.
As the debate intensifies, both sides agree on one point: the fatal stabbing in Staunton has become a flashpoint in the broader conversation over how states should handle individuals who are in the country without legal permission and who are accused of serious crimes. The outcome will likely shape future interactions between Virginia authorities and federal immigration agencies.
