About 30 miles from where Congress is arguing over the crisis of rampant illegal immigration, two Salvadoran men who crossed into the U.S. illegally are facing charges of repeatedly raping an 11-year-old girl.

“NEW: 29yo Mauricio Berrera-Navidad of Damascus, Md. + 28yo Carlos Palacios-Amaya of Gaithersburg, Md. Are accused of raping an 11-year-old Germantown, Md. Girl,” WJLA reporter Kevin Lewis posted to Twitter, along with the mens’ mugshots.

“MoCo Police say the men (both friends with the victim’s older brother) committed the rapes on separate occasions.”

The now 12-year-old victim confided about the gruesome details of the torture to her middle school counselor, who relayed the conversation to Montgomery County police. The girl said she met her older brother’s friend, Palacios-Amaya, last September. The victim alleged the then 27-year-old repeatedly raped her on multiple occasions over several months and “used his cell phone to video record the two of them having sex,” WJLA quoted from court documents.

The girl told the school social worker Palacios-Amaya would pressure her to stay home from school so he could have unsupervised access, and police confirmed the connection between the two through photos on the girl’s phone.

Investigators contend the girl previously met Barrera-Navidad at her older brother’s birthday party in July 2018 at a Germantown mobile home park.

The child said Barrera-Navidad took her to a bedroom and raped her, then continued to contact her by phone.

“STORY: One suspect orally, vaginally and anally raped the middle schooler on multiple occasions, authorities allege,” Lewis tweeted. “The victim recalled one instance where that same suspect ‘used his cell phone to video record the two of them having sex,’ police noted.”

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U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement issued a prepared statement about the two men, as well as detainers to take custody of the two for immigration violations.

“On July 25, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement lodged a detainer with the Montgomery County (Maryland) Detention Center on Carlos Ernesto Palacios-Amaya, a Salvadoran national, and a repeated immigration violator, following his arrest for rape. Palacios was previously removed from the U.S. in 2014,” the statement read.

“On July 26, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement lodged a detainer with the Montogmery County Detention Center on Mauricio Barrera-Navidad, a Salvadoran national, unlawfully present in the United States, following his arrest for rape. Barrera is subject to a final order of removal that was issued by an immigration judge in December 2016.”

It’s unclear when or how Palacios-Amaya re-entered the country after his 2014 deportation. It’s also unclear why Barrera-Navidad ignored his 2016 “final order of removal.”

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What is clear is Montgomery County officials are working to shield both men and other illegal immigrants from federal prosecution.

Just last month, “MoCo Executive Marc Elrich issued an executive order banning ICE from accessing secure portions of county jails,” Lewis tweeted. “Days later, ICE told us Elrich’s directive would force agents to intercept wanted people in ‘uncontrolled environments.’”

The so-called sanctuary policies are playing out in similar ways across the country, allowing illegal immigrants with a proven track record of ignoring the law to avoid prosecution and jail by allowing them released on bond without notifying ICE.

Lewis attempted to contact Elrich’s spokesman to seek comment about the county’s sanctuary policy and alleged illegal immigrant rapists, but so far no response.

“ICE has lodged immigration detainers against both accused child rapists,” Lewis tweeted Wednesday. “This morning I  emailed Executive Elrich’s spokesman a handful of questions, including if Montgomery County plans to abide by the detainers in this particular rape case.

“I am awaiting their answers.”