A Guatemalan man residing in the United States illegally was arrested for child sex abuse charges earlier this month, immigration authorities revealed on Friday.
The individual, who remains unidentified, had been previously apprehended for similar charges last year but was released due to “sanctuary” policies. U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE) removal agents took the man into custody on Feb. 6. He is now facing child sex crime charges in Providence, Rhode Island, according to ICE Director Todd M. Lyons of the Boston field office of Enforcement Removal Operations.
Lyons said: “This Guatemalan national has disregarded U.S. immigration laws and has been charged with horrific crimes against a Rhode Island child.
“We will continue to apprehend and remove egregious offenders who prey on the most vulnerable in our society.”
The suspect’s entry into the U.S. remains unknown to immigration authorities. However, he was apprehended in Providence in March 2023 and charged with child molestation. While being held at the Adult Correctional Institute in Cranston, Rhode Island, immigration authorities filed a detainer request for him. Unfortunately, the request to inform immigration authorities about his impending release from the facility was disregarded.
Consequently, he was released in April 2023. Once released, this illegal alien predator was able to continue victimizing more children, taking advantage of his freedom. It is important to note that his previous child molestation case is still pending.
It is a common occurrence for multiple jurisdictions across the country to disregard detainer requests from ICE. This is primarily due to the implementation of “sanctuary city” policies, which prohibit local authorities from cooperating with immigration officials. ICE has expressed concerns that these policies jeopardize public safety by releasing dangerous criminals back into society.
