ICE Boston arrests illegal Dominican national convicted of murder in Massachusetts

BOSTON — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement apprehended an illegally present Dominican national convicted for murder in Massachusetts in 2007 when officers arrested Cesar Augusto Polanco, 59, January 24 at the Massachusetts Correctional Institution in Norfolk after he was released from state custody.

“Cesar Augusto Polanco came to this country lawfully; however, his horrendous actions have deemed him a significant threat to the residents here,” said acting ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston Field Office Director Patricia H. Hyde. “We will not allow our communities to be subjected to the danger posed by violent alien offenders. ICE ERO Boston will continue to prioritize public safety by arresting and removing these criminals from New England.”

Polanco lawfully entered the United States at John F. Kennedy International Airport March 18, 1990 and later violated the terms of his lawful admission.

Polanco was convicted of murder March 8, 2007, and sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole. ICE issued an immigration detainer against Polanco June 20, 2013, with the Massachusetts Correctional Institution.

ICE served Polanco with a notice to appear before a Department of Justice immigration judge December 20, 2013, and was ordered removed from the U.S. to the Dominican Republic June 25, 2014.

The Massachusetts Correctional Institution honored the immigration detainer and informed ICE Boston of Polanco’s release. Polanco remains in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.

“ICE recognizes the importance of our relationships with state and local law enforcement partners, and we will continue to share information and coordinate operations with those partners in a way that ensures safety within our community,” Hyde said. “As a result of this partnership, the Massachusetts Correctional Institution contacted ICE and allowed for a safe transfer of a violent criminal. In doing so, they enabled us to make the arrest in the safety of a jail cell rather than sending a team of officers into the community to make a potentially dangerous arrest.”

The 287(g) program – through the delegation of some immigration officer duties – allows ICE to cooperate with its state and local law enforcement partners to protect the homeland through the arrest and removal of noncitizens who undermine the safety of U.S. communities and the integrity of U.S. immigration laws. While the 287(g) Program has yielded successes, ICE recognizes the program is not universally regarded as the most effective or appropriate model in every jurisdiction. Accordingly, ICE maintains its authority to utilize 287(g) agreements and exercise strict oversight. ICE continually evaluates the overall effectiveness of the program.

Members of the public with information regarding child sex offenders can report crimes or suspicious activity by dialing the ICE Tip Line at 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.

Learn more about ERO Boston’s mission to increase public safety in our New England communities on X at @EROBoston.