When an illegal immigrant convicted of rape is set free despite ICE requests, who pays the price? America’s safety.
At a Glance
- Violent criminals who entered the U.S. illegally at the southwest border are being arrested as far north/east as Baltimore.
- ICE detainers are often ignored by local jurisdictions, leading to re-arrests for new crimes.
- ICE has arrested multiple violent fugitives in Maryland after they were released from local custody.
ICE Efforts to Arrest Violent Fugitives from U.S. Border to Baltimore
Monitoring the actions of ICE agents as they work fervently to arrest violent fugitives exposes a grim reality: our communities are at constant risk due to lax immigration enforcement. These illegal entrants commit heinous crimes, and some are arrested in cities far from where they first crossed. From Baltimore to the border, ICE efforts reveal glaring systemic flaws.
ICE agents operating in Baltimore are tasked with a deadly game of cat and mouse. They’ve detained notorious figures like a 19-year-old Guatemalan national, Henry Argueta-Tobar. He entered the U.S. illegally in 2019, only to later be convicted of raping a Maryland resident. Shockingly, despite an ICE detainer request, he was released from a local detention center before committing the crime.
One has to wonder how many crimes could be prevented if these detainer requests were honored. The pattern is clear: sanctuary policies are costing American lives. Just think, Argueta-Tobar could have been deported before his victim’s life was shattered.
Egregious Cases of Evasion and Re-arrest
Adding to this disgrace, another Colombian fugitive linked to homicide, arms trafficking, and theft was apprehended in College Park, Maryland. This criminal had previously entered the U.S. illegally in California and was released by ICE. These cases aren’t outliers — they’re part of an appalling trend. Federal judges might order deportation, but if local jurisdictions don’t cooperate, these criminals slip through the cracks repeatedly.
An even more disturbing example involves a 57-year-old Salvadoran fugitive guilty of attempted aggravated femicide. This man snuck into Texas, was released by ICE, and then made his way to Maryland. What’s infuriating is how local jurisdictions turn a blind eye. ICE detainers are placed, but ignored. Is it any surprise these fugitives think they can evade justice and prey on our communities?
From the border to Boston: ICE agents continue arresting criminals illegally in US https://t.co/cyioA3hKPr
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) August 17, 2024
An Urgent Call for Cooperation and Enforcement
ICE is not the problem — failure to enforce laws is. We’re looking at criminals who came through southwestern borders only to land in U.S. cities thousands of miles away. This is why local cooperation with law enforcement is paramount. Boston’s ICE agents are dealing with similar issues, finding violent criminals who were released and then re-arrested for egregious offenses including rape and assault.
“With criminals running wild, it’s common sense for local jurisdictions to cooperate with ICE. Blatant refusal to coordinate with federal authorities endangers the public,” ICE-ERO Boston Field Office Director Todd Lyons rightly stated.
Consider the Columbian fugitive hiding in Maryland, or a Guatemalan national committing rape after being freed. These are the results of a broken system. The bottom line is every detainer ignored and every criminal released puts our communities and families at risk. We need states to protect their citizens first and foremost, rather than choosing to protect illegal migrants over them.
