The tragic deaths of two American teenagers at the hands of an illegal alien were “completely preventable,” according to a top Department of Homeland Security official.
Illegal alien Oscar Eduardo Ortega-Anguiano was deported from the U.S. twice before being “convicted of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, which resulted in the death of a young American couple,” Tricia McLaughlin, DHS assistant secretary, told The Daily Signal. “This criminal illegal alien should have never been in our country.”
Ortega-Anguiano was sentenced to 10 years in prison after crashing into a vehicle on a freeway in Orange County, Calif., in 2021, claiming the lives of Anya Varfolomeev and Nicholay Osokin, who were both 19 at the time.
The parents of the teens were informed on Easter Sunday that the man responsible for their children’s deaths would be released from prison early.
“Sanctuary state California is letting [Ortega-Anguiano] out after serving just three years of a 10-year prison sentence,” McLaughlin said. “[Immigration and Customs Enforcement] has placed a detainer with the California Department of Corrections. We hope California law enforcement will work us to ensure this criminal alien is not released into American communities.”
Given California’s “sanctuary” policies, it’s unclear whether the state will cooperate with ICE.
A U.S. attorney in Los Angeles is seeking to put Ortega-Anguiano behind bars for an additional 20 years for violating U.S. immigration laws after California releases him from prison.
“My office has filed a felony immigration charge against this defendant,” Bilal Essayli, U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, wrote on X on Wednesday, referring to the illegal alien.
“If the state of California will not seek the full measure of justice against this individual, the [Department of Justice] will,” the attorney added.
“This is absolutely unconscionable,” U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi wrote on X in response to the Fox News report breaking the story of his impending release.
Bondi pledged that the Justice Department will work with ICE “to make sure this illegal alien receives full punishment for his crimes.”
Ortega-Anguiano was drunk, high, and driving nearly 100 mph when he crashed into the young couple, who are reported to have been burned alive inside their vehicle.
“You had two young, productive American citizens killed for nothing, and that illegal immigrant, who already has been deported twice, is going to be released again,” Anatoly Varfolomeev, Anya Varfolomeev’s father, said in an interview with Fox News.
“All those dreams were cut short just by one person who was not even supposed to be on that freeway,” the father added.
The California Department of Corrections has not confirmed Ortega-Anguiano’s impending release, but acknowledged that prisoners can have their time behind bars shortened for completing rehabilitation programs.
Ortega-Anguiano has a lengthy criminal history and entered the U.S. illegally multiple times.
In 2014, an immigration judge ordered Ortega-Anguiano removed, ICE told Fox News. The illegal alien then “filed several unsuccessful appeals and was taken into ICE custody Dec. 2, 2016, and removed to Mexico the same day,” according to ICE.
“Ortega attempted to reenter the United States Feb. 2, 2018, near Otay Mesa, California, by presenting a counterfeit document,” the ICE statement continued. “He was paroled into the U.S. pending criminal prosecution for illegal reentry after removal. An immigration official issued Ortega an expedited removal order and removed him on June 1, 2018, to Mexico; after his latest removal, he again illegally reentered the U.S. on an unknown date and location. ICE issued a detainer with the Orange County Jail, California, Nov. 27, 2021, where he was being held on vehicular manslaughter charges at the time.”
Before the crash that left Varfolomeev and Osokin dead, Ortega-Anguiano was convicted of burglary in 2005, car theft in 2007, and “battery on spouse with kidnapping in 2014,” according to ICE.
Border czar Tom Homan told Fox News he will place the illegal alien in federal custody upon his release from prison in California and will pursue prosecuting Ortega-Anguiano for illegal reentry into the U.S.
Virginia Allen is a senior news producer for The Daily Signal and host of “The Daily Signal Podcast” and “Problematic Women.” Send an email to Virginia.
Reprinted with permission from The Daily Signal by Virginia Allen.
The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of AMAC or AMAC Action.
The officials who allowed this should be the ones behind bars.
Any politician who cares more about illegal criminals must never be voted in office again. That is a clear evidence that their loyalty is not for our country but for our enemies.
Parents should demand death sentence and the community should support that.
Thankfully this president will make sure this future hopeful democrate voter will get his punishment. Exportation.
When I was in college several decades ago, a classmate and his girlfriend were killed by an ILLEGAL ALIEN when, while driving while intoxicated, crossed the center line and struck the motorcycle that they were riding head on. THIS WAS PREVENTABLE. This waste of flesh from Mexico should NEVER been in our country. Any death to American citizens at the hands of an ILLEGAL ALIEN, be it premeditated or negligent, should result in summary execution of the ILLEGAL ALIEN offender. THEY’RE CRIMINALS that don’t respect our laws, and they don’t deserve rights that Americans deserve!! I’m sick and tired of libtards pushing for due process for ILLEGAL ALIENS over the rights of American citizens!!!
“Before the crash that left Varfolomeev and Osokin dead, Ortega-Anguiano was convicted of burglary in 2005, car theft in 2007, and “battery on spouse with kidnapping in 2014,” according to ICE.” This is insane of CA to allow this. They get everything they deserve. Maybe we should extend that border wall all the way around California so no one can go in or out of that crappy state.
Well, now we know who the Democrats new amazing man who should be a citizen illegal will be. Since he already had a deportation order, can’t he be sent to El Salvador prison to finish serving his sentence? If Gavin Newsome doesn’t make this guy available to ICE upon release, there is NO WAY he will be the candidate for 2028.
Ms. Bondi makes solid points. Don’t see a justification for a foreign criminal paying no price for murders in California.
More stories I read like this makes me wonder why there is not a law that made for all in congress including the Democrats,they just get away with everything.
Biden and Mayorkas should be executed for their open border policies.
I wish someone could explain what makes these criminals/illegals so very special and important to democrats. It has got to be tied to money, there is no other explanation.
Deport him and tell him next time he’ll end up in El Salvador
Outrageous!