Image Credit:© Megan Smith / USA TODAY NETWORK
California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office has confirmed that illegal immigrant Oscar Eduardo Ortega-Anguiano will be transferred to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) upon release, following widespread public outrage over plans to parole him, as reported by The Daily Mail.
Ortega-Anguiano, a Mexican national who had been deported twice, was convicted of vehicular manslaughter after driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol at high speed and crashing into a vehicle occupied by 19-year-old Anya Varfolomeev and Nicholay Osokin in November 2021.
Both victims were pronounced dead at the scene after their car was engulfed in flames.
Initially, concerns were raised when reports surfaced that California, a sanctuary state, would allow Ortega-Anguiano to walk free without notifying federal immigration authorities.
However, Newsom’s press office released a statement Wednesday indicating the state will comply with federal immigration enforcement in this case.
“After being deported in 2013, this individual unlawfully re-entered the US & committed heinous crimes,” Newsom’s office stated on X. “A GOP DA then gave him a plea deal instead of pursuing 2nd-degree murder. CDCR will again coordinate with ICE—as they have w/ 10,000+ inmates—to transfer him before release.”
Over a 12-hour period, the Governor’s team issued 14 posts reiterating the state’s cooperation with ICE, amid increasing backlash from the public and media.
ICE disclosed Ortega-Anguiano’s criminal history, which included a 2005 burglary conviction, a 2007 vehicle theft, and a 2014 conviction for battery on a spouse with kidnapping.
After his 2014 conviction, he was ordered removed from the U.S. and was deported on December 2, 2016. In 2018, he attempted to reenter the U.S. using counterfeit documents and was removed again on June 1, 2018.
Despite those removals, Ortega-Anguiano reentered the U.S. illegally once more before committing the fatal crash that killed the two teenagers.
Tom Homan, President Trump’s Border Czar, said earlier this week that federal officials would ensure Ortega-Anguiano is deported, even if state officials declined to cooperate.
“I will work with Secretary Noem on this case,” Homan said. “I guarantee you, if they don’t honor the detainer, we’ll have ICE agents outside that facility to take custody of this individual and deport him.”
The families of the victims, devastated by the court’s decision to consider Ortega-Anguiano for parole after serving just a fraction of his sentence, voiced their disbelief.
Anya Varfolomeev’s father spoke with Fox News:
“It’s disgusting. You have two young, unbelievable future, productive American citizens killed for nothing and that illegal immigrant who already has been deported twice is going to be released again? For what?”
Nicholay Osokin’s father, Pavel, also expressed frustration with the parole system.
“Three years for killing two kids! It’s confusing to me. Why you give them 10 if they’re gonna spend five, and then three? Give them three in the beginning, at least we know what to expect. It’s sort of spitting in my face.”
The transfer to ICE custody is expected to take place prior to Ortega-Anguiano’s scheduled release.
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