ERO Boston arrests fugitive wanted for felony firearms charges in Brazil
BOSTON — Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Boston arrested an unlawfully present fugitive who is being sought by Brazilian law enforcement authorities following his conviction on felony firearms charges in Brazil. ERO Boston officers arrested him in Plymouth, Massachusetts, on Sept. 12.
“Foreign fugitives cannot use our immigration system to hide from their crimes in other countries,” said ERO Boston Field Office Director Todd Lyons. "It’s because of the professional, hard work of ERO Boston officers that this individual was arrested. This makes me very proud of the tireless efforts of our officers that resulted in the safe apprehension of this wanted fugitive. ERO Boston will not tire in our strong commitment to apprehending and removing criminal fugitives that pose a very real threat to the safety of our communities.”
The 37-year-old Brazilian citizen unlawfully entered the United States after U.S. Border Patrol encountered him near El Paso, Texas, in May 2019. Following his arrest, U.S. Border Patrol officials processed and released him after serving him with a notice to appear before a federal immigration judge. The Brazilian fugitive is currently wanted to serve a prison sentence following his conviction on felony firearms charges in a criminal court in Caratinga, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
ERO Boston will seek his removal and he will remain in ICE custody pending a hearing before a federal immigration judge.
Noncitizens placed into removal proceedings receive their legal due process from federal immigration judges in the immigration courts, which are administered by the Justice Department’s Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR). EOIR is an agency within the U.S. Department of Justice and is separate from the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Immigration judges in these courts make decisions based on the merits of each individual case, determining if a noncitizen is subject to a final order of removal or eligible for certain forms of relief from removal. Once a noncitizen is subject to a final order of removal issued by an immigration judge or other lawful means, ICE officers may carry out the removal.
ERO officers make enforcement decisions on a case-by-case basis in a professional and responsible manner, informed by their experience as law enforcement officials and in a way that best protects against the greatest threats to the homeland and the integrity of U.S. immigration laws.
In fiscal year 2022, ERO arrested 46,396 noncitizens with criminal histories. This group had 198,498 associated charges and convictions, including 21,531 assault offenses; 8,164 sex and sexual assault offenses; 5,554 weapons offenses; 1,501 homicide-related offenses; and 1,114 kidnapping offenses.
For more news and information on how the ERO Boston field office carries out its immigration enforcement mission, follow us on X, formerly known as Twitter, @EROBoston.
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