Accused Hungarian sex trafficker arrested by ICE during enforcement efforts

NEW YORK – A Hungarian national, who has pending charges for sex trafficking and previous sex convictions was arrested last week by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) during ongoing enforcement efforts in New York City and the surrounding region, targeting at-large criminal aliens, illegal re-entrants and other immigration violators.

Other recent arrests include:

• In Brooklyn, a 37 year-old Georgian national, released from NYPD custody with an active detainer, who has pending criminal charges for criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd: narcotic drug intent to sell, criminal possession of a controlled substance 4th: methamphetamine, criminal possession of a controlled substance 5th: narcotic, and criminal possession of a weapon 4th: firearm/weapon;
• In Brooklyn, a 44 year-old Israeli national, released from NYPD custody with an active detainer, who has criminal convictions for securities fraud: fraud greater than 9 persons, and two counts of scheme to defraud 1st: obtain property greater than $1,000 from one or more persons;
• In the Bronx, a 25-year-old Panamanian national, released twice from NYPD custody with an active detainer, who has pending local charges for a criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd: narcotic drug intent to sell, criminal possession of a controlled substance 5th: intent to sell, criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th, unlawful possession of marijuana 2nd, and prior criminal convictions for illegal entry into the United States, and unlawful possession of personal identification 3rd, for which a sentence of 2-years of probation supervision was imposed;
• In Brooklyn, a 32-year-old Hungarian national, who has pending charges for sex trafficking: make false statements or omissions to induce person, sex trafficking: force person into prostitution by instilling fear, promote prostitution 3rd: two or more prostitutes, travel facilitate prostitution, and promoting prostitution;
• In East Elmhurst, a 24-year-old Dominican national, released on five separate occasions from NYPD custody with an active detainer who has pending local charges of criminal possession of a controlled substance 3, criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th, and criminal possession of a weapon;
• In Manhattan, a 24-year-old Dominican national, released on three separate occasions from NYPD custody with an active detainer who has pending local charges of criminal possession of stolen property 4th: property value exceeds $1,000, grand larceny 4th: value greater than $1,000, petit larceny, petit larceny, and identity theft;
• In Oyster Bay, a 31-year-old Chilean national, who has convictions for petit larceny, and pending charges for criminal possess of a controlled substance;
• In Mount Kisco, a 35-year-old previously removed Guatemalan national, who has a pending charge for assault 3rd, and aggravated harassment 2nd, criminal possess of a controlled substance;
• In Peekskill, a 28-year-old Dominican national, who has a pending charge for criminal possess of a controlled substance;
• In Yonkers, a 48-year-old Mexican national, who has a pending charge for criminal possess of a controlled substance;
• In Floral Park, a 24-year-old Pakistani national, who has a pending charge for criminal possess of a controlled substance;

From Feb. 17-24, ICE arrested 35 individuals each of whom were recently arrested by local law enforcement authorities and released from custody with either an active detainer lodged or before a detainer could be issued.

ERO officers were assisted by U.S. Border Patrol during the enforcement efforts.

ICE officers carry out targeted enforcement actions every day in locations around the country as part of the agency’s ongoing efforts to protect the nation, uphold public safety, and protect the integrity of our immigration laws and border controls.

ICE focuses its limited resources first and foremost by targeting those who pose the greatest threat to public safety and border security, and our officers make arrests every single day. The agency’s arrest statistics clearly reflect this. Nationally, approximately 86 percent of ERO’s administrative arrests during fiscal year 2019 either had a criminal conviction or were facing criminal charges at the time of their arrest.

About Detainers

ICE lodges detainers on individuals who have been arrested on criminal charges and who ICE has probable cause to believe are removable aliens. The detainer asks the other law enforcement agency to notify ICE in advance of release and to maintain custody of the alien for a brief period of time so that ICE can take custody of that person in a safe and secure setting upon release from that agency’s custody. When law enforcement agencies fail to honor immigration detainers and release serious criminal offenders onto the streets, it undermines ICE’s ability to protect public safety and carry out its mission.

Congress has established no process, requirement, or expectation directing ICE to seek a judicial warrant from already overburdened federal courts before taking custody of an alien on civil immigration violations. This idea is simply a figment created by those who wish to undermine immigration enforcement and excuse the ill-conceived practices of sanctuary jurisdictions that put politics before public safety.

Sanctuary Policies Put Public Safety at Risk

When law enforcement agencies don’t honor ICE detainers, these individuals, who often have significant criminal histories, are released onto the street, presenting a potential public safety threat. Any local jurisdiction thinking that refusing to cooperate with ICE will result in a decrease in local immigration enforcement is mistaken. Local jurisdictions that choose to not cooperate with ICE are likely to see an increase in ICE enforcement activity, as ICE the agency has no choice but to conduct more at-large arrest operations. A consequence of ICE being forced to make more arrests on the streets is the agency is likely to encounter other unlawfully present foreign nationals that wouldn’t have been encountered had we been allowed to take custody of a criminal target within the confines of a local jail. Additionally, once these criminals are out on the street, confirming their whereabouts is often time consuming and resource intensive. Many of our arrest targets are seasoned criminals who are savvy about eluding law enforcement. Despite the severe challenges that local policies have created for ICE, we remain committed to our public safety mission and we will continue to do our sworn duty to seek out dangerous criminal aliens and other immigration violators. ICE seeks straightforward cooperation with all local law enforcement and elected officials. ICE officers carry out targeted enforcement actions every day in locations around the country as part of the agency’s ongoing efforts to protect the nation, uphold public safety, and protect the integrity of our immigration laws and border controls.

ERO New York’s Area of Responsibility: The City of New York, and the following counties: Dutchess, Nassau, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Suffolk, Sullivan, Ulster, and Westchester.