(Bethany Blankely, The Center Square) Federal authorities continue to take action in Massachusetts after state and local authorities implemented policies directing police to not work with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
In May, ICE agents, working with multiple federal partners, arrested nearly 1,500 criminal illegal foreign nationals, the largest total to date in the state of any month under any administration.
The month-long enforcement operation focused on transnational organized crime, gangs and “egregious illegal alien offenders” living in Massachusetts. ICE-Enforcement Removal Operations-Boston agents partnered with the FBI, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, ATF, the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service, U.S. Marshals Service and U.S. Coast Guard.
“Make no mistake: Every person that we arrested was breaking our immigration laws, but most of these individuals had significant criminality,” ICE ERO Boston acting Field Office Director Patricia Hyde said. “They are criminal offenders who victimized innocent people and traumatized entire communities – murderers, rapists, drug traffickers, child sex predators and members of violent transnational criminal gangs. Some were convicted of violent crimes in the United States, and others were wanted for criminality in their native countries. All made the mistake of attempting to subvert justice by hiding out in Massachusetts.”
Overall, 1,461 illegal foreign nationals were arrested; more than half have criminal convictions or charges; 790 were charged with or convicted of crimes in the U.S. or abroad, including “numerous targets who had foreign arrest warrants and Interpol Red Notices” and “criminal alien offenders wanted by authorities in several foreign countries.”
Of those arrested, 277 had removal orders from a federal immigration judge but didn’t comply and remained in the country illegally. Everyone arrested remains in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.
Throughout the operation, ICE and federal law enforcement officers targeted transnational criminal organizations operating in and around Boston, including MS-13, Tren de Aragua, Trinitarios and 18th Street gangs.
They also targeted communities in Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard, leading to the arrest of “40 illegal aliens, including at least one child sex predator and a member of a violent transnational gang.” The U.S. Coast Guard assisted ICE with transporting them off the islands.
Federal authorities were able to locate and arrest violent offenders “after local jurisdictions refused to honor immigration detainer requests to turn over the offenders and instead chose to release them from custody, forcing officers and agents to make at-large arrests in Massachusetts communities,” ICE said.
Examples of violent men arrested include those from:
Brazil: One with criminal charges including aggravated rape of a child by force, possession of child pornography and dissemination of obscene material, assault and battery and kidnapping; an active Interpol Red Notice for a drug trafficker who when fleeing his country on a motorcycle threw a brick of cocaine at Brazilian military police; an active Interpol Red Notice wanted for murder.
Colombia: One with felony charges including breaking and entering, kidnapping, aggravated rape, and indecent assault and battery; a convicted narcotics trafficker/manufacturer who fled Colombia to the U.S. to avoid serving 14 years in prison.
Ecuador: A convicted murderer sentenced to a year in prison and released into the community instead of complying with an ICE detainer request.
El Salvador: One with an active Interpol Red Notice wanted for aggravated homicide, robbery, aggravated kidnap and theft; one with criminal charges for aggravated rape of child by force, indecent assault and battery (under age 14), and open and gross lewdness.
Guatemala: A registered sex offender with pending criminal charges in Boston for five counts of indecent assault and battery and trafficking a person for sexual servitude. His previous arrests include aggravated rape of child and indecent assault and battery. ICE lodged two detainers that local jurisdictions refused to honor. Another is a convicted murderer in Boston who received a life sentence; another has charges of assault and battery, dangerous weapon charges, assault and battery on a family member, strangulation/suffocation and intimidation of witness.
Honduras: One with a criminal history of arrests for rape, indecent assault and battery, witness intimidation, kidnapping of a minor by relative, lewd and lascivious conduct and sexual conduct for fee; his convictions include operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol in Massachusetts and Iowa, where he served a year in prison; another had convictions for obscene material to a minor, enticing a child under 16 and larceny.
Uruguay: A 69-year-old Uruguayan registered sex offender convicted of indecent assault and battery on a 7-year-old girl.
