ICE Arrests Honduran Illegal Immigrant Charged with Child Sex Crime Despite Local Authorities’ Release

ICE Arrests Honduran Illegal Immigrant Charged with Child Sex Crime Despite Local Authorities’ Release

A Honduran illegal immigrant, charged with a child sex crime, was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after being released from jail in Connecticut despite ICE’s pleas to take custody of him. The 26-year-old Honduran national had been initially released into the U.S. in 2013 after being arrested by Border Patrol and given a notice to appear.

In September 2023, police in New Britain, Connecticut, arrested and charged him for sex offenses, including first-degree sexual assault against a minor under the age of 13 and illegal sexual contact with a minor. ICE issued a detainer against him in October, requesting to be notified before his release from local police custody, but the Hartford Correctional Center ignored the detainer and released him back onto the streets on Feb. 1.

ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officers eventually picked him up on April 4, nearly two months after his release. ICE scolded jurisdictions that don’t cooperate with detainers, emphasizing the threat posed to communities when alleged sexual predators are released.

Both ICE and the Biden White House have urged cities and jurisdictions to cooperate with federal authorities in handing over criminal illegal immigrants. The White House spokesperson emphasized the importance of sharing information with ICE about individuals who could pose a threat to public safety.

This case highlights the challenges faced by law enforcement agencies in dealing with illegal immigrants charged with serious crimes and the importance of cooperation between local and federal authorities in ensuring public safety.