ICE nabs illegal immigrant charged with sex crimes in blue city, after release from jail
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) recently made headlines after arresting a Dominican illegal immigrant in Boston who was charged with sex crimes and kidnapping. Emilio Jose Pena-Casilla, a 46-year-old, faced charges including assault to rape, kidnapping, indecent assault and battery, and intimidation of an official, witness, or juror. Despite ICE’s request to hand him over, Pena-Casilla was released from local custody before being apprehended by ICE on December 17.
Pena-Casilla had entered the U.S. illegally near Eagle Pass, Texas, in January 2023 and was part of the Alternatives to Detention program, which monitors migrants through GPS tracking devices or check-ins via an app. However, he was removed from the program a month later. In July, he was arraigned in Massachusetts, where ICE issued a detainer that was ignored by the district court, leading to his release on GPS bail. ICE eventually located and arrested him in December.
Acting Field Office Director Patricia Hyde of ERO Boston emphasized the importance of protecting communities from noncitizen offenders like Pena-Casilla. She stated, “We hold a sacred duty to protect the residents of our communities, and we will continue to do so by apprehending and removing egregious noncitizen offenders from our neighborhoods.”
Boston is known for its sanctuary policies, which limit or forbid local law enforcement cooperation with ICE. While supporters argue that these policies help illegal immigrants cooperate with law enforcement, opponents believe they result in the release of criminal immigrants back into the community. The Boston City Council recently voted to further restrict ICE cooperation and prevent police from holding migrants for deportation without a criminal warrant.
Sanctuary policies have become a contentious issue with the upcoming Trump administration promising to increase deportations. President-elect Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, has warned of legal consequences for officials who obstruct deportation efforts. America First Legal has also put sanctuary jurisdictions on notice, warning of potential criminal and civil liability for noncompliance with federal immigration laws.
The case of Emilio Jose Pena-Casilla highlights the ongoing debate surrounding sanctuary policies and the enforcement of immigration laws. As the Biden administration takes office, the future of these policies and the approach to immigration enforcement remain uncertain.
