Justice Department Opens Civil Rights Investigation Into Virginia Prosecutor

Descano, a Democrat, has drawn repeated criticism from Republicans over how his office manages cases involving immigrant defendants. The federal probe will examine whether those practices comply with civil rights requirements. Officials have not released additional details about the scope or timeline of the review.

Republicans have targeted Descano for decisions related to immigrant defendants in Fairfax County. The criticism centers on his office’s policies for charging, plea agreements and sentencing in those matters. The launch of the civil rights probe follows months of public attacks on the prosecutor’s record. No specific incidents were cited in the initial announcement of the investigation.

Federal investigators will now gather information from the prosecutor’s office. Descano’s team has not commented publicly on the probe. The outcome could affect how local prosecutors across the country handle similar cases involving noncitizens.