The Department of Homeland Security says ICE has lodged a detainer for Aristides Eli Orellana-Ramirez, who has been charged in the Dec. 20, 2025, shootings that killed 16-year-old Bravlio Galeano Ayala and 18-year-old Samir Canales Molina in southwest Charlotte. Investigators say shots were fired around 3:30 a.m., and the victims' bodies were later found more than six miles apart; detectives believe both were shot at the same scene. The case has become a political flashpoint, with federal officials criticizing jurisdictions that do not honor ICE detainers and citing Operation Charlotte’s Web and recent data on unhonored detainers in North Carolina.
ICE Lodges Detainer After Charlotte Teen Killings; Case Sparks Debate Over 'Sanctuary' Policies
ICE detainer issued for El Salvadoran national charged with killing two North Carolina teens
A high-profile homicide case in Charlotte, North Carolina, has renewed debate over local policies that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities. Federal officials say U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has lodged a detainer for Aristides Eli Orellana-Ramirez, an El Salvadoran national charged in the Dec. 20, 2025, fatal shootings of two teenagers.
ICE lodged an "arrest detainer" for Aristides Eli Orellana-Ramirez, an illegal alien from El Salvador charged with murdering two teenagers in Charlotte, according to DHS.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg police say gunfire was reported around 3:30 a.m. on Dec. 20 in southwest Charlotte. The victims have been identified as 16-year-old Bravlio Galeano Ayala and 18-year-old Samir Canales Molina. Both were later pronounced dead at a local hospital.
Samir Canales Molina, left, and Bravlio Galeano Ayala were killed, and DHS says sanctuary policies and ignored ICE detainers allowed a criminal illegal immigrant to remain free before the deadly attack.
Investigators reported that the victims' bodies were discovered more than six miles apart. Detectives told authorities they believe both teens were shot at the same location during a single incident and then moved away from the scene while seeking help. The criminal investigation remains active and police continue to gather evidence.
ICE lodged an arrest detainer for Aristides Eli Orellana-Ramirez, an illegal alien from El Salvador charged with murdering two teenagers in Charlotte, according to DHS.
Federal Response and ICE Detainer
DHS announced that ICE has placed a detainer on Aristides Eli Orellana-Ramirez. According to DHS, Orellana-Ramirez entered the United States without inspection at an unknown time and location. The detainer seeks to have federal authorities notified before local authorities release a person to ensure potential immigration enforcement action can proceed.
"Another tragic loss of life at the hands of a criminal illegal alien," DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said. "The two male victims were just 16 and 18 years old, both with a whole life ahead of them. Their lives were ripped away in moments by a criminal illegal alien who should have NEVER been in our country in the first place."
Context: Local Policy Disputes and Operation Charlotte's Web
The case has already become a political flashpoint. Federal officials point to it as an example of risks they associate with jurisdictions that decline to honor ICE detainers. ICE reported in November that local authorities across North Carolina did not honor nearly 1,400 detainers, allowing some individuals to be released back into communities.
During a federal effort called Operation Charlotte’s Web, authorities increased enforcement resources in Mecklenburg County to identify and remove individuals described by officials as "high-threat" undocumented immigrants with violent criminal histories. Local Charlotte officials publicly stated they would protect the city’s migrant community and resist certain federal enforcement actions.
Authorities emphasize that the investigation into the shootings is ongoing. Charges have been filed against Orellana-Ramirez, and prosecutors and police will continue to present evidence in the coming weeks.
Help us improve.
