Story perspectives

Judge Orders Murder Suspect Held Without Bail

8/14/2026

Summary

Iriarte-Valdez Charged

Marcos Eduardo Iriarte-Valdez was charged with murder after stabbing Todd Stewart on Aug. 6, 2026.
Police arrested Marcos Eduardo Iriarte-Valdez on Aug. 7, 2026, using surveillance video and a license-plate check.
Judge David Goldstein ordered Marcos Eduardo Iriarte-Valdez held without bail and set a Sep. 9, 2026 hearing before Judge Michael Nieto.
Marcos Eduardo Iriarte-Valdez, after Immigration and Customs Enforcement placed a detainer on Aug. 8, 2026 noting his Venezuelan nationality, pleaded not guilty at his arraignment.

Summary

DHS Demands Custody

DHS demanded Governor Gavin Newsom keep suspect Iriarte-Valdez in custody, blaming California’s sanctuary policies for the murder.
Deputy director of communications Diana Crofts-Pelayo said state law does not block federal immigration enforcement.
White House border security chief Tom Homan accused politicians of putting politics above safety despite record ICE arrests.
Judge Nichelle Holmes released Iriarte-Valdez after DHS placed a Sept. 23, 2025 detainer identifying him as a Venezuelan national with Spanish citizenship.

History

Historical Context

The 1996 Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act, signed by President Bill Clinton and effective April 1 1997, expanded aggravated-felony definitions and raised annual deportations from about 50,000 to over 200,000 by the early 2000s. Its 287(g) provision lets ICE work with state police, creating the federal-state tension that now underlies the push on Governor Gavin Newsom to retain suspect Marcos Eduardo Iriarte-Valdez.

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Iriarte-Valdez Charged

Marcos Eduardo Iriarte-Valdez was charged with murder after stabbing Todd Stewart on Aug. 6, 2026.
Police arrested Marcos Eduardo Iriarte-Valdez on Aug. 7, 2026, using surveillance video and a license-plate check.
Judge David Goldstein ordered Marcos Eduardo Iriarte-Valdez held without bail and set a Sep. 9, 2026 hearing before Judge Michael Nieto.
Marcos Eduardo Iriarte-Valdez, after Immigration and Customs Enforcement placed a detainer on Aug. 8, 2026 noting his Venezuelan nationality, pleaded not guilty at his arraignment.

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