USCIS conducts standard biographic and biometric vetting for asylum and EAD applications: it sends biographic data and fingerprints to the FBI for criminal-history and identity checks, enrolls biometrics in DHS’s biometric systems (OBIM/IDENT), and checks applicants against law‑enforcement and intelligence databases and prior immigration records; derogatory hits can trigger referral/coordination with ICE. In short: fingerprint/FBI checks, OBIM/IDENT biometric matching, and interagency database checks led to the identification.
ICE officers have statutory authority to arrest and detain noncitizens (8 U.S.C. §1357) and may take enforcement action when USCIS or other agencies identify an individual subject to a prior removal order; USCIS and ICE routinely coordinate (per USCIS policy) so ICE can effect an arrest at or after a USCIS appointment when there is probable cause or a removal order.
Spanberger’s executive order rescinded the previous administration’s directive that required state and local law enforcement to cooperate with ICE; it removes the state-level requirement to share information, hold people on ICE detainers, or otherwise prioritize cooperation—making cooperation discretionary rather than mandatory for Virginia state and local agencies. (The DHS release notes the change repealed Youngkin’s order and ended required cooperation.)
An asylum seeker with a prior final removal order remains subject to removal but may still file immigration applications and, in some circumstances, apply for employment authorization; USCIS background checks and prior removal status are considered, and approval of work authorization is possible depending on the applicant’s current status, pending proceedings, and discretion of adjudicators.
The DHS press release states Hernandez admitted MS‑13 membership and confessed to five murders while in custody, but it does not cite court records, law‑enforcement charging documents, or evidentiary filings to verify those admissions; I find no public court or prosecution records corroborating the confessions in available reporting. Therefore independent verification in court filings is not publicly available based on current sources.