ICE removes Dominican murderer

PHILADELPHIA – A Dominican national convicted of murder in his native country was deported Tuesday by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).

Pedro Felipe Rosario, 35, was transported via an ICE Air Operations flight and turned over to immigration officials in Santo Domingo.

"The United States will not provide sanctuary to individuals who commit crimes on our soil or abroad," said Thomas Decker, the Philadelphia field office director. "ERO is committed to the efficient identification and removal of violent criminals and egregious immigration law violators, working alongside our law enforcement partners to keep America safe."

Rosario first entered the United States in 1990 as a lawful permanent resident. Court records show, in April 2005, he was convicted in Alaska of conspiracy to possess and distribute a controlled substance and sentenced to 63 months in prison. Due to his criminal conviction, a deportation judge subsequently ordered him removed to his place of birth.

In 2009, Rosario was apprehended and convicted of illegal re-entry of a deported alien previously convicted of an aggravated felony and sentenced to 27 months in prison.

ERO ordered a reinstatement of deportation Feb. 6.

Since Oct. 1, 2009, ERO has removed more than 566 foreign fugitives from the United States who were being sought in their native countries for serious crimes, including kidnapping, rape and murder. ERO works with ICE's Office of International Affairs, foreign consular offices in the United States, and Interpol to identify foreign fugitives illegally present in the country.