U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement sent a detainer request to Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger on September 16, 2026, urging the state not to release Mexican national Freddi Chigo Mil, who is charged with second‑degree murder and aggravated malicious wounding after a stabbing spree in Staunton that left one woman dead and another seriously injured.
The demand highlights a growing clash between Virginia’s sanctuary policies and federal immigration enforcement, prompting concern among families who have lost loved ones and underscoring the need for public safety safeguards.
Police responding to the Staunton incident found Mil at the scene alongside two victims; one was pronounced dead at the hospital while the other was transported with injuries described as causing permanent impairment. Middle River Regional Jail records list the charges as second‑degree murder and aggravated malicious wounding.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin criticized the state’s approach, saying, “this is what the Commonwealth of Virginia has become under the sanctuary policies of Gov. Abigail Spanberger and her fellow sanctuary politicians.” He added that the case illustrates “preventable tragedies” that could be avoided through deportation of illegal aliens.
Jennifer Harrison, executive director of the Victims’ Rights Reform Council, called the situation “out of control,” urging elected officials to prioritize victims over policies she says protect criminals.
In response, Governor Spanberger’s office stated that 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 spokesperson noted that Spanberger, a former federal law‑enforcement officer, has continued the long‑standing practice of notifying ICE when non‑citizens are in state custody.
The ICE request arrived the same day the agency arrested Salvadoran immigrant Yinmi Molina‑Zepeda in Woodbridge, Virginia, who is wanted abroad for aggravated homicide. The Department of Homeland Security has cited 22 violent‑crime cases involving illegal immigrants in Virginia this year, ranging from murder to sexual offenses.
Virginia’s Department of Corrections confirms that it maintains cooperation with federal task forces and continues to file ICE notifications as part of its correctional protocols.
The detainer places additional legal pressure on Governor Spanberger as the state weighs its sanctuary stance against the urgency of protecting its citizens; Mil’s court proceedings are ongoing, and the outcome will shape future dialogue between state and federal authorities.