DOJ asks to dismiss Virginia case against Salvadoran accused MS-13 leader set to be deported

The Justice Department connected Wednesday filed a question to disregard its lawsuit against a Virginia-based Salvadoran nationalist accused of being an MS-13 leader.

Henrry Jose Villatoro Santos' lone complaint successful national tribunal is listed arsenic amerciable firearms possession aft FBI agents entered his residence successful Woodbridge, Virginia — southwest of Washington, D.C. — and confiscated a Taurus, exemplary G2C, 9 mm pistol, arsenic good arsenic 3 further firearms, ammunition and 2 suppressors successful a bedroom, according to national tribunal documents.

"As a terrorist, helium volition present look the removal process," Attorney General Pam Bondi told Fox News connected Wednesday evening.

A Wednesday evening question to hold the dismissal states that Villatoro Santos' recently appointed counsel understands "the Government present intends to prosecute the deportation of Mr. Villatoro Santos successful lieu of prosecution."

ACCUSED MS-13 LEADER NABBED BY PATEL'S FBI TO REMAIN IN CUSTODY FOR NOW, JUDGE RULES

Henrry Jose Villatoro Santos was arrested successful Virginia connected March 27. (The Ingraham Angle)

"The supra is simply a reasonably straightforward procedural history," the defense's motion, filed by lawyer Muhammed Sayed, states. "But successful the inheritance of this regular ineligible process, the United States government, astatine its highest levels, has been publically and loudly propagating allegations that Mr. Villatoro Santos ‘is 1 of the apical leaders of MS-13’ and ‘one of the leaders for the East Coast, 1 of the apical successful the full country,’ claims made by Attorney General Pam Bondi astatine a high-level property league connected March 27, 2025."

Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel described Villatoro Santos arsenic the apical MS-13 person connected the East Coast, during a quality league aft his arrest, which they were contiguous for, on with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, and Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove.

"He volition not beryllium surviving successful our state overmuch longer," Bondi said astatine the time.

TOP MS-13 LEADER ARRESTED IN VIRGINIA

A 24-year-old Salvadoran national, Henrry Josue Villatoro Santos, has been charged with being an amerciable migrant successful possession of a firearm, respective of which are pictured. Federal officials accused Villatoro of being a apical MS-13 pack leader.  (Department of Justice)

"They executed a clean, harmless operation, and the atrocious feline is successful custody. And acknowledgment to the FBI, we got 1 of the worst of the worst of the MS-13 disconnected the streets this morning. Virginia and the state is simply a batch safer today," Bondi told Fox News aft the arrest.

Authorities recovered a 9 mm pistol, 3 further firearms, ammunition and 2 suppressors successful Santos' bedroom, according to tribunal documents.

Sayed says the authorities plans to region him from the U.S. based connected an ICE detainer.

"The information of Mr. Villatoro Santos being unlawfully deported by ICE without owed process and removed to El Salvador, wherever helium would astir surely beryllium instantly detained astatine 1 of the worst prisons successful the satellite without immoderate close to contention his removal, is substantial, some successful airy of the Government's caller actions and the precise nationalist pronouncements successful this case," helium wrote successful the filing.

MASSACHUSETTS JUDGE CHARGES ICE AGENT WITH CONTEMPT OF COURT

US. Attorney General Pam Bondi speaks during a property league astir MS-13 pack enactment astatine the Broward County Sheriff's Office Research, Development and Training Center successful Fort Lauderdale, Fla., April 4. (Eva Marie Uzcategui/AFP via Getty Images)

The Trump medication sent different Salvadoran antheral with protected ineligible presumption to El Salvador by mistake successful March.

Federal officials removed Kilmar Abrego Garci from Maryland erstwhile the medication sent 3 planeloads of Salvadoran and Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador’s "Terrorism Confinement Center" connected March 15 for alleged pack affiliations. 

The White House maintains Garci was a known MS-13 member.

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"These examples are present becoming an mundane occurance," Sayed assistance of the Abrego Garci case.

Villatoro Santos' attorneys accidental the requested hold successful a dismissal bid volition springiness the suspect much clip to question migration counsel.

Fox News' Haley Chi-Sing contributed to this report.