Miguel Alonso Maldonado Soriano, a Mexican national residing in the United States without legal status, has been charged with vandalizing the Iwo Jima monument at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia. Local authorities filed felony charges including destruction of property and trespassing with intent to damage property after the incident, which occurred on Tuesday, October 20, and caused significant damage to the World War II memorial.

Soriano, 27, reportedly used a sledgehammer to decapitate one of the six servicemen depicted in the iconic statue raising the U.S. flag. The attack caused extensive damage estimated in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. The monument, sculpted from limestone by Felix de Weldon in 1954, honors Marines who have died defending the United States since 1775. The base is located approximately 36 miles south of Washington, D.C.

According to officials familiar with Soriano’s background, he entered the United States illegally as a child in 1999. He was later granted protection under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program in 2014 during the Obama administration. Sources also indicated that Soriano’s DACA status was extended in 2024 under the Biden administration but was revoked during former President Donald Trump’s second term.

Soriano has been held without bond at the Prince William County Adult Detention Center since October 22. A spokesperson confirmed his current detention status on Friday.

The incident elicited a statement from White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers, who condemned the act and highlighted the individual’s immigration status. Rogers criticized Democrats’ immigration policies and praised former President Trump’s border enforcement efforts, asserting that illegal immigrants involved in criminal activity are being deported.

The investigation into the vandalism remains ongoing, with authorities continuing to assess the extent of the damage and the motivations behind the attack on the monument.