House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, has indicated that subpoenas could be issued if local prosecutors accused of easing policies for undocumented immigrants do not comply with his committee's investigation. The committee is examining district attorneys in "sanctuary jurisdictions" who are alleged to consider immigration status when prosecuting criminal complaints, regardless of the alleged crime's connection to the individual's legal standing.
"If we have to, we'll use subpoenas to get the documents that we think they may not be giving us," Jordan stated in an interview. "We want to know the facts."
The investigation has placed particular focus on Fairfax County, Virginia, Commonwealth's Attorney Steve Descano. Descano came under scrutiny following the stabbing death of Stephanie Minter, a U.S. citizen, allegedly at the hands of an individual who entered the U.S. illegally in 2012. According to the Department of Homeland Security, the suspect had prior arrests on more than two dozen occasions.
Descano, who has led the Fairfax County District Attorney's Office since January 2020, issued plea bargaining guidelines that year advising prosecutors to "consider immigration consequences where possible" and "the collateral immigration consequences of the specific crime(s) the defendant is charged with," according to WTOP News. Fairfax County is designated as a sanctuary jurisdiction, which means local law enforcement is not mandated to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.
Jordan criticized these policies, questioning the rationale of local law enforcement not collaborating with federal authorities on enforcing federal law. He specifically mentioned Descano's office and its stated policy of considering immigration status before making charging decisions, suggesting that such practices can lead to negative outcomes, as exemplified by Minter's case.
Descano's 2019 campaign for District Attorney received financial support from Justice and Public Safety PAC, an organization backed by billionaire George Soros. Jordan also noted the proximity of Fairfax County, a major Washington D.C. suburb, to national security centers, amplifying his concerns about sanctuary policies.
Jordan suggested that his committee's scrutiny extends beyond Descano, mentioning other district attorneys such as Alvin Bragg in New York and Larry Krasner in Philadelphia, whom he accused of similar practices.
