ERO Boston removes fugitive wanted for commercial theft conviction in Brazil

BOSTON — Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Boston removed a Brazilian national sought by law enforcement authorities in Brazil for failing to serve a three-year, nine-month prison sentence that followed his conviction of commercial theft/receiving stolen property. Deportation officers from ERO Boston removed Thiago Marcos Silva Souza, 34, from the United States to Brazil March 22.

“Those who attempt to evade justice in their own countries are not welcome in our communities,” said ERO Boston Field Office Director Todd M. Lyons. “ERO Boston will not allow our New England neighborhoods to become havens for those who seek to hide from justice in our region. ERO Boston remains committed to prioritizing public safety by actively pursuing, apprehending and removing any unlawfully present offender who tries to subvert our immigration laws.”

Silva Souza unlawfully entered the United States near San Luis, Arizona, in June 2021. He was arrested by the U.S. Border Patrol and released on his own recognizance. Border Patrol officials issued him a notice to appear before a Department of Justice immigration judge at a later date.

After ERO Boston confirmed his presence in its area of responsibility, its deportation officers arrested Silva Souza without incident in Saugus on Feb. 9. He was held in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody until his removal from the United States March 22.

Noncitizens placed into removal proceedings receive their legal due process from federal immigration judges with the EOIR. EOIR is an agency within the U.S. Department of Justice and is separate from the Department of Homeland Security and ICE. Immigration judges in these courts make decisions based on the merits of each individual case. ICE officers carry out the removal decisions made by the federal immigration judges.

In fiscal year 2023, ERO made 170,590 administrative arrests, a 19.5% increase over the previous year. ERO arrested 73,822 noncitizens with a criminal history; those arrested had an average of four charges and convictions per individual, including more than 33,209 charges or convictions for assault, 7,520 for weapons offenses, 1,713 for homicide-related offenses, and 1,615 for kidnapping. Removals also included 3,406 known or suspected gang members, 139 known or suspected terrorists, seven human rights violators, and 108 foreign fugitives wanted by their governments for crimes including homicide, rape, terrorism and kidnapping. Also in fiscal year 2023, ERO conducted 142,580 removals to more than 170 countries worldwide.

As one of ICE’s three operational directorates, ERO is the principal federal law enforcement authority in charge of domestic immigration enforcement. ERO’s mission is to protect the homeland through the arrest and removal of those who undermine the safety of U.S. communities and the integrity of U.S. immigration laws, and its primary areas of focus are interior enforcement operations, management of the agency’s detained and non-detained populations and the repatriation of noncitizens who have received final orders of removal. ERO’s workforce consists of more than 7,700 law enforcement and non-law enforcement support personnel across 25 domestic field offices and 208 locations nationwide, 30 overseas postings and multiple temporary duty travel assignments along the border.

Members of the public can report crime and suspicious activity by calling 866-347-2423 or completing the online tip form.

Learn more about ICE’s mission to increase public safety in your community on X, formerly known as Twitter, @EROBoston.