An individual with former Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status has been accused of using a sledgehammer to vandalize an Iwo Jima monument near Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, causing hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage. Miguel Alonso Maldonado Soriano, 27, faces charges including felony destruction of property, trespass with intent to damage property, and felony injury to a monument.

According to federal sources, Maldonado Soriano illegally entered the U.S. in December 1999. He was granted DACA status in 2014 and it was most recently extended in 2024. However, he lost this status in August 2026 because it was not renewed by the Trump administration, the sources told Fox News.

A White House spokesperson stated, "This criminal illegal alien’s dream is over: Maldonado Soriano disrespected our brave service members and defaced a beautiful monument that honored their sacrifice." The spokesperson added that President Trump "has secured our border and is deporting illegal criminals who hate our country and our values."

Prince William County Police responded to the incident around 10:13 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 21, reportedly finding Maldonado Soriano striking the monument with a sledgehammer. Authorities reported extensive damage to the limestone sculpture, which commemorates a pivotal moment in American military history.

Images of the damaged monument reveal that one Marine figure was decapitated, and another sustained visible gouges to its helmet and face. A third figure had damage to a bayonet on its rifle. Police estimate the repair costs will be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The statue is a 9-foot limestone depiction of the iconic flag-raising on Mount Suribachi during the 1945 Battle of Iwo Jima. It was sculpted by Felix de Weldon, who also created the Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington, Virginia. The damaged monument is located near the entrance to the National Museum of the Marine Corps.

Maldonado Soriano is being held without bond, and a court date has not yet been announced.