Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced Friday that it has deported an undocumented Brazilian immigrant who was wanted in his home country on rape charges but was released to the United States in 2021.
Thales Méndez Ribeiro, a foreign fugitive wanted in Brazil on charges of false imprisonment and rape, was deported last week, immigration officials announced.
He was first encountered near San Ysidro, California, after illegally entering the United States on June 10, 2021. U.S. Border Patrol sent him a notice to appear in immigration court, and ICE released him under the Alternative to Detention Program. Under this program, immigrants undergo some form of tracking while awaiting hearing.
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A Brazilian illegal immigrant accused of rape in Brazil has been deported by authorities.
He was ordered to appear for an immigration hearing in Newark, New Jersey, on February 24, 2023, but did not appear. He was ultimately arrested during a targeted enforcement operation in New Jersey in December.
“Protecting Americans from dangerous predators is the ERO mission’s top priority,” Camilla Wamsley, director of ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Philadelphia Field Office, said in a statement. “We will continue to aggressively target those who pose a threat to the American people,” she said.
The deportations come amid an ongoing border crisis in which Border Patrol agents are often overwhelmed by record numbers.
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In December, there were more than 302,000 encounters with migrants, the second highest since 2023, when 2.4 million encounters were recorded. Republicans have expressed concern about the continued release of migrants into the interior, while the Biden administration has said more funding and Congressional action is needed to fix a “broken” system.
Lawmakers are currently working to reach an agreement to provide the additional funding requested by the White House. The Biden administration is seeking $14 billion in funding for border improvements, including expedited removals, aid to cities and increased detention. But Republicans are calling for stricter asylum restrictions and for the administration to limit parole. The draft text of the bill is expected to be published within the next few days.
The announcement of Ribeiro’s dismissal came on the heels of ICE’s announcement that it had rounded up 100 illegal immigrants across the country who were wanted for crimes such as child sexual assault and murder.
Those arrested include wanted persons and convicted persons. child abusechild pornography, rape, murder.
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ICE announced that it arrested more than 73,000 illegal immigrants with criminal records in fiscal year 2023, resulting in more than 290,000 related charges and convictions.
Fox News’ Bill Melugin and Chris Pandolfo contributed to this report.
