Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials have requested that Harris County authorities not release a suspect accused of fatally beating a coworker with a sledgehammer at a Houston construction site.

The incident occurred at a construction site in Houston, where the suspect allegedly used a sledgehammer to kill a fellow worker. Local authorities have the suspect in custody on murder charges related to the workplace homicide.

ICE has issued a detainer request to Harris County, asking that the suspect not be released from local custody so that federal immigration agents can take the individual into custody. The agency indicated the suspect is in the country illegally.

The case highlights ongoing tensions between federal immigration enforcement and local jurisdictions over detainer requests. Harris County has previously faced scrutiny over its policies regarding cooperation with ICE detainer requests.

Details about the victim, the circumstances leading to the alleged attack, and the timeline of events have not been disclosed by authorities. The investigation into the construction site homicide remains ongoing.