U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have apprehended a Haitian immigrant, Cory Alvarez, who was previously released on a $500 bond despite facing charges of raping a child in Massachusetts. ICE had issued a detainer on Alvarez, but the local sheriff's office disregarded it and released him on a low bail amount. A detainer is a formal request by authorities to notify ICE about an individual believed to be subject to deportation.
Alvarez, aged 26, was located by ICE officers in Boston after being arrested in a sanctuary city. He had entered the U.S. in June under the parole process for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans. This policy, initially for Venezuelans, was expanded by President Biden's administration in January 2023 to include other nationalities, allowing up to 30,000 individuals per month to enter the U.S. with work permits and a two-year authorization to reside in the country.
The charges against Alvarez stem from an alleged incident in March where he was accused of raping a 15-year-old girl while staying at a migrant hotel in Massachusetts. His attorney, Brian A. Kelley, maintains Alvarez's innocence, citing video surveillance showing no injuries on the victim and her clothing appearing undisturbed after the alleged incident.
Kelley also noted that Alvarez had complied with bail conditions, including home confinement and surrendering his passport. He referenced a Massachusetts court ruling that found no legal basis to detain an individual solely based on an ICE detainer.
