U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers announced the apprehension of a Brazilian migrant fugitive wanted in his home country on drug trafficking and robbery charges on Thursday.
Officials say they encountered the 32-year-old man during a traffic stop in Framingham, Massachusetts, earlier this month. He is now in ICE custody, awaiting deportation.
The individual has allegedly had a Brazilian warrant out for his arrest since 2022. In 2017, a Brazilian court sentenced the man to over 17 years in prison, according to ICE.
Border Patrol agents say they first arrested the individual in March 2023 after he and his family illegally entered the U.S. in Arizona. Officers issued the family a notice to appear in immigration court at the time, ICE said.
“This Brazilian fugitive attempted to flee justice in his home country and hide out in Massachusetts,” Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Boston Field Office Director Todd Lyons said. “He represents a significant threat to the residents of our neighborhoods. We will not allow New England to become a safe haven for the world’s criminals. ERO Boston will continue to prioritize public safety by apprehending and removing egregious noncitizen offenders from our communities.”
Massachusetts has spent nearly $400,000 to review the vaccine records of migrants and other individuals staying in its shelters, according to a recent state financial report. That sum comes amid $591 million in spending on the state’s “emergency housing assistance program.”
ICE officials continue to capture migrants with criminal pasts across the East Coast. Officers this week announced the arrest of a Dominican Republic national in Baltimore with an outstanding warrant for manslaughter.
