ICE arrests criminal aliens after New York City releases them

NEW YORK – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) recently arrested three convicted criminal aliens in New York who were released from local custody after detainers were ignored.

ICE arrested Alvaro Cuatate-Xochicale, 57, and Miguel Guzman-Reyna, 58, both unlawfully present Mexican nationals, and Jonathan De Jesus-Lopez, 20, an unlawfully present Dominican national, in the boroughs of Brooklyn and the Bronx, July 6, without incident.

Cuatate-Xochicale has pending charges for sexual abuse, sexual contact with an individual younger than 11 years old, sexual abuse sexual contact with person younger than 14 years old, subjecting another person to sexual contact without consent and unlawful dealing with a child. On May 12, ICE lodged an immigration detainer with New York Police Department (NYPD) to maintain custody of Cuatate-Xochicale following his arrest. However, NYPD did not honor the detainer and released the subject from custody.

Guzman-Reyna was arrested for third-degree assault and second-degree harassment May 11, and ICE subsequently lodged an immigration detainer. NYPD released him from custody despite ICE’s active detainer request. Guzman-Reyna has a previous conviction for criminal possession of a loaded firearm. He was previously removed from the U.S. in 2000.

De-Jesus-Lopez has a pending charge for grand larceny: getting property by extort. ICE lodged an immigration detainer on him with NYPD May 15; however, the police department released him from custody. De-Jesus-Lopez also has a conviction for the criminal sale of a controlled substance in a school zone, which U.S. immigration laws categorize as an aggravated felony.

The three men remain in ICE custody pending of the outcome of hearings before an immigration judge.

“What’s so troubling about New York’s sanctuary city policy is that it favors the criminals over citizens,” said Thomas R. Decker, ERO New York’s field office director. “These three individuals clearly pose a significant threat to public safety, yet law enforcement agencies are prevented from doing the right thing, which is turning these criminals over to ICE in a safe, controlled environment. There is no justifiable reason to release drug dealers, violent criminals and sexual predators into American communities.”

Cuatate-Xochicale, Guzman-Reyna and De Jesus-Lopez were three of nine individuals ICE ERO arrested last week during a targeted immigration enforcement activity, which spanned across New York City, as well as Putnam and Suffolk counties.

Additional arrests include:

1. A 48-year-old Haitian national arrested in Queens Village. The subject has previous convictions for second-degree murder, robbery, criminal possession of stolen property, and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle;
2. A 51-year-old Trinidadian national arrested in the Bronx. The subject has a previous conviction for sexual abuse and sexual contact with a person younger than 14 years old;
3. A 24-year-old Ecuadorian national arrested in Patchogue. The subject has a rape conviction. The victim was a child younger than 15 years old;
4. A 51-year-old Bangladeshi national arrested in Brooklyn. The subject, previously ordered removed from the U.S., has a conviction for sexual abuse. The victim was a child younger than 14 years old;
5. A 26-year-old Guatemalan national arrested in Brewster. The subject, previously removed from the U.S., has a pending charge for driving while intoxicated;
6. A 56-year-old Filipino national arrested in Jamaica, Queens. The subject has a conviction for attempted burglary: illegal entry of a dwelling.

“ICE continues to prioritize the arrest of criminals who have a history of preying upon the most vulnerable members in our communities,” said Decker. “Public safety should not be politicized; egregious offenders should not be released into our communities.”