Illegal Immigrant Accused of Vandalizing Iwo Jima Monument Granted Bond
Miguel Alonso Maldonado Soriano, a former DACA recipient, faces felony charges after allegedly using a sledgehammer to damage the World War II monument.
A former Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipient accused of using a sledgehammer to decapitate a Marine figure on an Iwo Jima monument near Quantico, Virginia, was granted bond Monday morning. Miguel Alonso Maldonado Soriano, 27, appeared in Prince William County Circuit Court where his bond was approved. His next court date is pending.
Maldonado Soriano, who is identified as an illegal immigrant from Mexico, faces multiple felony charges including destruction of property, trespass with intent to damage property, and injury to a monument. He was arrested on October 21 after police responded to the scene and allegedly found him striking the limestone sculpture with a sledgehammer.
The monument, which depicts the iconic flag-raising during the 1945 Battle of Iwo Jima, sustained extensive damage, including the complete removal of one figure's head. Other figures were also damaged. Police estimate the repair costs to be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
According to federal sources, Maldonado Soriano illegally entered the U.S. in December 1999 and was granted DACA status in 2014 under the Obama administration. His DACA status was extended in 2024 but expired in August 2026. The monument, sculpted by Felix de Weldon, is similar to the Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington, Virginia.