On November 4, 2025, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers arrested Victoria Sorocean in Los Angeles, California. Sorocean, a Moldovan national, was wanted in Moldova for a murder committed in 2013. She and another person were convicted of torturing and killing a victim in Chisinau, Moldova. Sorocean was sentenced to 17 years in prison and later fled to the United States.
ICE first arrested Sorocean in January 2020. After several legal appeals and an asylum request, she was released in 2022. Some officials have criticized this release, stating it allowed a person convicted of a serious crime to remain in the country.
The Department of Homeland Security reports that 70% of ICE arrests involve non-citizens charged or convicted of crimes in the U.S., not including foreign fugitives. Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin commented on the case, noting the seriousness of Sorocean’s conviction…