Thousands of miles from the southern border, Americans find themselves victims of violent crimes committed by repeat offenders illegally entering the U.S.
While numerous examples exist, in five examples identified by The Center Square, all of the alleged perpetrators illegally entered the U.S. “on an unknown date at an unknown location,” according to U.S. Customs & Immigration Enforcement.
In New Jersey, ICE’s Enforcement Removal Operations (ICE-ERO)-Newark agents recently arrested a Mexican national in Bridgeton, New Jersey, who was convicted of endangering-sexual conduct with a child. A state judge gave the Mexican national a three-year suspended prison sentence and supervised parole for life.
Prior to his conviction and illegal entry, he was previously removed from the U.S. in March 2005 and March 2009. He is currently in ICE-ERO custody, pending his third removal from the U.S.
“This individual is a clear danger to our community with multiple illegal reentries into the U.S.,” ICE-ERO-Newark Field Office Director John Tsoukaris said.
In Maryland, ICE-ERO-Baltimore agents arrested a Salvadoran MS-13 gang member who was in the U.S. illegally after he was “convicted of driving while intoxicated” and had been arrested by Maryland law enforcement officers at least five times.
He was first arrested in April 2016 by Prince George County Police Department (PGCPD) officers and charged with trespassing, but a circuit court dropped the charge.
PGCPD officers arrested him again in July 2017, charging him with domestic violence. They arrested him again in October 2018, charging him with assault second degree. A district court in the county then dismissed that charge.
PGCPD officers arrested him a fourth time in June 2019, charging him with “negligent driving, failure to display registration card, reckless driving, driving under the influence, driving while impaired by alcohol and failure to obey officer signal.”
His fifth arrest was by Anne Arundel Police Department officers in May 2022, charging him with “driving vehicle not equipped with an ignition interlock.” The district court in Anne Arundel County convicted him in March 2023. Seven months later, ICE agents apprehended him on Oct. 30, 2023, in Temple Hills, Maryland. They issued a “Notice to Appear” (NTA) before a Department of Justice immigration judge and he remains in ICE-ERO custody pending his removal proceedings.
“This noncitizen poses a significant threat to society,” acting ICE ERO Maryland Field Office Director Darius Reeves said. “Not only has he flagrantly disregarded our laws and placed our residents in jeopardy, he is also a documented member of a notorious street gang.”
In Tennessee, a twice-removed Honduran national and Sur 13 gang member who’d repeatedly illegally entered the U.S. was recently arrested and detained for allegedly committing at least two homicides.
On Oct. 10, the Honduran was arrested and booked into county jail by the Nashville Metro Police Department on criminal homicide charges for the death and burning of a 37-year-old man. He was then charged with a second homicide of a 26-year-old South Nashville man whose mother had reported him missing. ICE ERO-New Orleans agents placed an immigration detainer on him to begin removal proceedings.
“This unlawfully present Honduran national is a threat to the safety of our local communities,” ERO-New Orleans Field Office Director Mellissa Harper said. “ERO has removed him twice from the United States and yet he continues to choose to violate our laws.”
In Virginia, ICE-ERO-Washington, D.C., (ICE-ERO-WDC) agents apprehended a Peruvian national illegally in the U.S. after he was charged with sexually abusing a Virginia minor.
Border Patrol agents apprehended him in March 2022, but instead of processing him for removal for unlawful entry, released him into the U.S. with a notice to appear.
By October 2022, Fairfax County Police Department officers arrested him in Fairfax for petit larceny. ICE-ERO-WDC agents then reissued an NTA. A district court in the county deferred his conviction in May 2023.
By July 2023, FCDP officers arrested him again and charged him with “two counts of felony sodomy of a victim under 13 years of age; two counts of felony sexual penetration of a victim under 13 years of age; three counts of aggravated sexual battery of a victim under 13 years of age; and one count of misdemeanor French kiss of a child under 13 years of age.”
After this charge, ICE agents issued an immigration detainer on him with the Fairfax Adult Detention Center, requiring him to be held to be picked up. The detention center “ignored the request,” ICE says, and released him on Sept. 28. ICE agents ultimately apprehended him during a traffic stop near Arlington on Oct. 19.
“This undocumented noncitizen allegedly committed unspeakable acts against a child,” ICE-ERO-WDC Assistant Field Office Director Erik Weiss said. “He has no legal basis to remain in the United States, and he poses a threat to the residents of his community. We will remove such threats from our communities.”
ICE-ERO-WDC agents also recently arrested a Honduran national illegally in the U.S. and charged him with “felony rape by force, threat, or intimidation; abduction by force; and assault on a family member.”
Border Patrol agents first arrested him near Roma, Texas, in June 2021, and then released him with an NTA. Two years later, the Honduran was arrested by Herndon Police Department officers in Herndon, Virginia, on July 20, 2023, and charged with multiple crimes.
ICE agents then issued an immigration detainer on him with the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center in Fairfax, Virginia. Instead of holding him, they released him.
ICE deportation agents eventually arrested him on Oct. 12, 2023, in Herndon and issued an NTA. He remains in ICE custody pending his removal proceedings.
Critics argue if the border were secure, and foreign nationals were prevented from illegally entering or were processed for immediate removal after illegal entry, crimes like these would be prevented.
