ERO Boston arrests fugitive wanted for commercial theft conviction in Brazil

BOSTON — Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Boston arrested a Brazilian national Feb. 9 in Saugus, Massachusetts, sought by law enforcement authorities in Brazil for failing to serve a 3 year, 9 month prison sentence, which followed his conviction of commercial theft /receiving stolen property.

“Foreign fugitives are a threat to our community,” said ERO Boston Field Office Director Todd M. Lyons. “ERO Boston is eager to assist our international law enforcement partners by locating and apprehending individuals attempting to use our immigration system to evade the consequences of crimes committed in their home countries. We will not allow New England to become a hideout for criminals seeking to avoid justice in their home countries. ERO Boston will continue to aggressively pursue and apprehend anyone attempting to subvert our immigration laws and avoid justice elsewhere.”

The 34-year-old citizen of Brazil unlawfully entered the U.S. near San Luiz, Arizona, in June 2021. He was arrested by the United States Border Patrol (USBP) and released on his own recognizance. USBP issued him a notice to appear before a Department of Justice (DOJ) immigration judge at a later date.

After ERO Boston confirmed the presence of the Brazilian citizen in its area of responsibility, deportation officers with ERO Boston arrested him without incident near his residence in Saugus, Massachusetts, Feb. 9. He will remain in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody pending removal proceedings. ERO Boston will seek his removal through reinstatement of a prior final order of removal issued by a federal immigration judge with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR).

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.

Source: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE.gov)