A Brazilian citizen living in the United States illegally and wanted in his home country for drug trafficking was arrested by federal authorities in a Massachusetts sanctuary city near Boston. The unidentified suspect was taken into custody on Tuesday by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Somerville. The city, which will be voting on a resolution to reaffirm its sanctuary status, has been in the spotlight for providing taxpayer-funded legal services to illegal immigrants and not cooperating with ICE in the detention of illegal migrants.
The Brazilian individual crossed into the U.S. through El Paso, Texas, in 2022 and was released into the country despite facing charges back home for drug trafficking. ERO Boston acting Field Office Director Patricia H. Hyde emphasized the importance of public safety and the commitment of officers to remove potentially dangerous noncitizens from the streets. The suspect had been ordered deported in January, followed by a failed appeal, and a final order of removal was issued in June.
Another arrest in Massachusetts involved a Dominican national, Belardis Tapia Gonzalez, who entered the U.S. illegally in July 2021 and is charged with child molestation/sexual assault in Rhode Island. He was apprehended just outside Boston in the city of Lynn on Monday. Additionally, a Salvadoran MS-13 gang member, who entered the U.S. as a getaway, was convicted of assault in the state. Despite ICE placing a detainer on him, he was released into the community without federal immigration authorities being notified and was later arrested in Northampton.
State Democrats, including Gov. Maura Healey and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, have faced criticism for their opposition to President-elect Donald Trump's campaign promise of mass deportations of illegal immigrants. Healey and Wu have expressed their refusal to cooperate with the expected mass deportation effort, with Healey emphasizing the deportation of individuals who commit violent crimes. The MassGOP criticized Healey and Wu for prioritizing politics over public safety, highlighting concerns about criminal illegal immigrants being released back onto the streets due to the lack of cooperation with ICE.
