Feds investigate Fairfax County Public Schools over illegal immigrant charged with groping girls

The Department of Education announced Monday an investigation into Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia over an illegal immigrant from El Salvador charged with groping a dozen girls at Fairfax High School.

“ED is opening yet another investigation in Fairfax County following reports from 12 high school girls who have credibly accused one male student – an illegal immigrant – of sexual assault,” said the department in a post on X.

Israel Christopher Flores Ortiz, an 18-year-old junior, was denied bail after being charged with assault and battery for allegedly reaching between girls’ legs and touching their private areas in the school hallways.

He was initially charged with nine counts of assault and battery, but four additional counts were added March 25 after more victims came forward, according to the City of Fairfax Police Department.

During a March 13 court hearing, prosecutor Jenna Sands said that the student was suspected of groping girls throughout the 2025-26 academic year, raising questions about the district’s response, according to TV station WJLA, channel 7, which broke the story.

The district said in its Monday response that it is “prepared to fully cooperate with the U.S. Department of Education’s inquiry.”

“We are grateful to our law enforcement partners and are continuing to work closely with them as their investigation into this matter moves forward,” the statement said. “To maintain the integrity of the ongoing investigation, we cannot share additional details at this point.”

In addition, Superintendent Michelle Reid has asked the law firm of McGuireWoods to conduct a “thorough, objective, and independent review” of the case to ensure that “all policies, procedures, and regulations were properly followed.”

“The safety of our students and staff remains a top priority,” the district statement also said.

ED is opening yet another investigation in Fairfax County following reports from 12 high school girls who have credibly accused one male student – an illegal immigrant – of sexual assault. This is the latest in a long list of investigations into Northern VA school divisions:…

— U.S. Department of Education (@usedgov) March 30, 2026

Fairfax High School Principal Georgina Aye informed parents of the March 7 arrest in an email, saying the student was charged with “inappropriately touching other students at school.”

“These incidents involved the student touching students’ buttocks while they were transitioning in the hallways,” said Ms. Aye in her March 12 email.

Parents who spoke to WJLA reporter Nick Minock accused the principal of downplaying the assaults by making it sound as if the girls were playfully slapped on the rear.

“Yeah, no, I would not be here for butt slapping,” said one mother in the March 13 report. “I would, I mean, I would be upset about that, but this wouldn’t be my second day this week here at the courthouse for that. It was a clear violation. He put his hand in between my daughter’s legs, and the butt was actually the last thing that he touched.”

Mr. Ortiz, who has also been described as 19 or nearly 19, was released into the country under the Biden administration’s relaxed immigration enforcement after crossing the southern border in 2024.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement issued a detainer for the suspect after his arrest and urged the county’s “sanctuary politicians” to keep the suspect behind bars.

“This yet another example of the Biden Administration’s failed open border policies,” said Homeland Security Deputy Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis in March 16 statement. “We are calling on Fairfax County sanctuary politicians to NOT release this predator from jail back into our communities to assault more teenage women. Unfortunately, Governor Abigail Spanberger ended cooperation with ICE and is siding with criminal illegal aliens over American citizens.”

In its Monday statement, the Department of Education described its probe into the alleged assaults as “the latest in a long list of investigations into Northern VA school divisions.”

Five Northern Virginia school districts, including Fairfax, were found in violation of Title IX in July for allowing students access to sex-segregated facilities such as restrooms and locker rooms based on gender identity.

The district sued in October to block the Trump administration from downgrading its federal funding status in response to the Title IX finding.

In May, the department opened a Title VI probe into Fairfax County Public Schools over whether the admissions policies at Thomas Jefferson School for Science and Technology discriminate based on race.

The department also cited the case of Richard Cox, a registered sex offender and intact male who identifies as female, now on trial for allegedly exposing and touching himself in girls’ locker rooms in Arlington high schools.