Fairfax Prosecutor Steve Descano To Face House Hearing Over Sanctuary Policies After Fatal Stabbing

Steve Descano, the elected Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney who has received support from donors associated with the Justice and Public Safety PAC, is scheduled to testify before the House Judiciary Committee’s immigration subcommittee on May 14. The hearing, titled "Fairfax County, Virginia: The Dangerous Consequences of Sanctuary Policies," will examine whether local limits on cooperation with federal immigration authorities affect public safety.

What’s At Issue

Republican members of the committee say Fairfax County’s policies and certain prosecutorial decisions contributed to accused killer Abdul Jalloh remaining free prior to the fatal stabbing of Stephanie Minter. The Department of Homeland Security has said Jalloh was arrested roughly 30 times in past encounters with law enforcement. Descano and Sheriff Stacey Kincaid will both testify about county practices that intersect with federal immigration enforcement.

Background

Minter, a mother from Fredericksburg, was fatally stabbed at a Fairfax County bus stop earlier this year. Local reporting and law enforcement records indicate Fairfax police warned Descano’s office multiple times about Jalloh, with at least one officer stating in an email they were concerned he would "maliciously wound (or worse) again." Prosecutors reportedly dismissed multiple charges against Jalloh prior to the killing, which critics point to as part of a broader pattern they link to sanctuary-style policies.

George Soros, Founder and Chairman of the Open Society Foundations, arrives for a meeting in Brussels, Belgium, on April 27, 2017.

"Descano is looking forward to the opportunity to discuss Fairfax's record as one of the safest large jurisdictions in the country," his office told Fox News Digital.

Related Issues

Descano’s critics also highlight plea deals and sentencing outcomes in cases involving noncitizens, arguing those results can reduce immigration-related consequences that might otherwise follow criminal convictions. Descano has defended his record, saying he campaigned to address inequities in the justice system and noting that immigration consequences such as deportation can result from criminal convictions.

Sheriff Stacey Kincaid has been criticized separately for a policy that declines to honor Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainers without a judicial warrant. Under her policy, federal authorities must obtain a warrant before inmates are transferred to federal custody upon release from local jails — a practice federal officials say conflicts with typical ICE procedures.

Political Fallout

Stephanie Minter’s death has prompted calls for federal oversight and possible legislative reforms. Local reporting says Minter’s family is supporting a recall effort aimed at removing Descano from office. Public records show Descano’s campaign benefited from more than $600,000 in contributions from the Justice and Public Safety PAC, a group largely funded by donors associated with George Soros that supports progressive prosecutors.

May 14 will mark Descano’s first known appearance before a congressional committee, though he has previously testified before state legislative panels. The hearing is likely to draw attention to the balance between local prosecutorial discretion, county-level policies, and federal immigration enforcement.