ICE Requests Intervention Regarding Undocumented Immigrant Charged with Assault

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has urged Illinois Governor JB Pritzker to refrain from releasing an undocumented immigrant accused of raping a 9-year-old disabled girl.

Last month, Janio Jionel Velazquez-Muro, a Venezuelan national who entered the U.S. illegally during the Biden administration, was arrested in Pingree Grove. Authorities charged him with stalking, kidnapping, and raping the girl while she was riding her bicycle outside her home.

Prosecutors claim that Velazquez-Muro approached the girl, forcibly took her into his vehicle, and assaulted her at a different location.

He was arrested at the end of June and is charged with aggravated kidnapping, predatory criminal sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual abuse, and sexual exploitation of a child.

However, Illinois’ lenient SAFE-T law results in many violent offenders, particularly undocumented ones, being arrested but then quickly released. In light of this, ICE has made a formal request for an immigration agent to be assigned to Velazquez-Muro’s case.

ICE stated on social media, “Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Sanctuary politicians must not release this individual and should collaborate with ICE to prevent him from harming other innocent children.”

Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Biss emphasized in a July 9 communication, “This criminal kidnapped and sexually assaulted a child. It’s important that Governor Pritzker and the politicians involved ensure that this person does not return to society, allowing him to victimize more innocent children. This seems like basic common sense.”

Under Pritzker’s administration, Illinois has seen a rise in crimes committed by undocumented immigrants. Notable incidents include:

• In June, ICE arrested Giovanna Mercedes Moreno Occhipinti, a former teacher and illegal immigrant from Venezuela, linked to a fatal shooting at a house party in Chicago.
• In March, Jose Medina Medina, another undocumented immigrant from Venezuela, was arrested for allegedly killing an 18-year-old university student.
• Later Jefferson Arauz-Medina from Nicaragua was arrested in October for raping a woman in Chicago.
• Radul Bojovic, an illegal immigrant from Montenegro, was also arrested in October for working as a sworn police officer despite his status.
• Jose Javier Coronado-Meza, from Venezuela, faces charges for a murder in Cook County.
• Luis Mendoza Gonzalez, a Mexican immigrant, was arrested after being released by local officials despite his involvement in hiding a missing woman’s body.
• In January, Julio Cucurbor, an undocumented immigrant from Guatemala, caused a fatal drunk-driving accident and currently faces multiple charges related to the incident.