Federal immigration officials are pressing Virginia officials to cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement after an illegal immigrant from Mexico was charged in a deadly stabbing spree, adding fuel to an ongoing dispute over the state’s immigration enforcement policies.

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According to the report, ICE has lodged a detainer for Freddi Chigo Mil, asking authorities to keep him in custody so federal officials can take custody of him for potential deportation after his criminal proceedings. Mil is accused of a stabbing spree that killed one woman and left another with injuries described as causing permanent impairment.

The case has prompted criticism from federal officials of Gov. Abigail Spanberger and other Virginia Democrats over policies limiting cooperation with federal immigration authorities.

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin called for an end to policies that could allow criminal illegal immigrants to return to communities rather than being transferred to federal immigration authorities.

“This illegal alien from Mexico has been charged with murder after a stabbing spree,” Mullin said. “It’s time to put an end to these preventable tragedies. Deporting illegal aliens saves lives.”

The controversy comes amid other immigration-related arrests in Virginia. On the same day, authorities arrested Yinmi Molina-Zepeda, an illegal immigrant reportedly wanted in El Salvador for aggravated homicide.

Federal officials argue these cases are part of a broader public-safety concern. According to the Department of Homeland Security, at least 22 high-profile cases involving illegal immigrants accused of violent or sexual crimes have been identified in Virginia this year. Those cases reportedly include allegations of murder, rape, and sexual offenses against children.

The debate centers in part on immigration detainers. ICE uses detainers to request that state or local authorities notify the agency before releasing certain individuals and maintain custody briefly so immigration officers can assume custody. The effectiveness of that process can depend on whether state and local jurisdictions cooperate with federal immigration authorities.

For Virginia, these cases are likely to intensify an already contentious debate over how state and local law enforcement should interact with ICE. Federal officials and other critics of policies restricting that cooperation argue that honoring immigration detainers involving people accused of serious crimes can prevent potentially dangerous individuals from being released. Supporters of limits on local participation in immigration enforcement have argued more broadly that separating local policing from federal immigration enforcement can encourage immigrant communities to cooperate with police.

Behind the political dispute are victims and families whose lives have been permanently changed by violent crime. The allegations in these cases are also a reminder of the responsibility government bears to administer justice, protect the innocent, and wisely exercise the authority entrusted to it. Let’s pray for comfort and justice for the victims and their families, wisdom for Virginia’s leaders, and discernment for federal, state, and local officials as they determine how best to protect their communities.

How are you praying for the victims, law enforcement, and leaders in Virginia? Share your prayers below.

(Info taken from The National Pulse. Photo Credit: Lindsay Cunningham | Jefferson Lab)