The illegal immigrant was charged with abduction and rape before being arrested and released back into Virginia.
In a recently unveiled press release, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) disclosed that a Honduran national who illegally crossed into the U.S. was arrested and charged with “felony rape” and “abduction by force.”
The migrant, who was originally arrested by local police in Virginia, was released once again into the community after the Fairfax county jail didn’t honor a detainer request sent by ICE officials.
The press release stated that the Honduran national who, “unlawfully entered the United States on an unknown date – without being inspected or admitted by an immigration official,” was ultimately arrested by Border Patrol in Roma, TX in June of 2021. After apprehension, border patrol officials gave the migrant a “notice to appear” (NTA) before a Department of Justice (DOJ) immigration judge before freely releasing him into the U.S.
Just two years after his authorized release, on July 20, 2023, local police in Herndon, Virginia arrested the Honduran on charges of “felony rape by force, threat, or intimidation” and “abduction by force; and assault on a family member.”
The Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Washington D.C., then issued an “immigration detainer” on the migrant but didn’t find out until almost a month later that the Fairfax county jail had released the individual back into the community.
ERO officers were then sent to re-arrest the Honduran, who wasn’t apprehended again until October, 12, 2023. The ERO issued the Honduran with another NTA in court, and is currently being held in federal custody, “pending the outcome of his removal proceedings.”
According to the ERO Washington D.C. Field Office Director Russell Hott, “ERO Washington remains committed to apprehending criminals who are released back into the local population when a detainer is not honored. We will not allow such noncitizen offenders to roam free and victimize innocent people.”
This story comes on the heels of another press release, reported on by Fox News’ Bill Melugin, in which he detailed how “Border Patrol unknowingly released an African terrorism suspect into the U.S. after he was caught crossing illegally into [Arizona]” in October of this year.
This illegal immigrant ultimately made his way to New York City after being released and was allowed to travel freely throughout the U.S. for two weeks before being arrested by ICE officials.
