In a notable development, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested 26-year-old Breyan Elezar Anglo Barrios in Hyattsville, Maryland, despite efforts from local law enforcement to shield known criminal foreign gang members. He had been released by the Prince George’s County Corrections Department, even after ICE had indicated their interest in detaining him.
According to ICE, Anglo Barrios has ties to the 18th Street gang and has been convicted of drug possession with intent to distribute, as well as carrying a loaded handgun. His arrest took place last week in Hyattsville.
Authorities reveal that Anglo Barrios entered the U.S. illegally, with unclear dates and locations, and does not hold legal immigration status.
ICE reports that he was previously arrested in 2021 by the Prince George’s County Police for drug distribution while in possession of a handgun.
In August 2023, Prince George’s County Circuit Court convicted him on drug-related and firearm charges, resulting in a one-year prison sentence along with three years of supervised probation.
In a separate instance, Maryland State Police charged Anglo Barrios on July 29, 2022, for having a loaded handgun in his vehicle.
Again, the Prince George’s County Police arrested him in April 2024 for violating probation.
ICE had placed holds on immigrant detainees at the Prince George’s County Corrections Department, including Anglo Barrios, on April 19, 2024. However, the department denied ICE’s request for a hold, leading to his release on April 23, 2024, after nearly a year.
ICE issued a final removal order for Anglo Barrios on April 22, noting that members of the Salvadoran gang would remain in ICE custody as their deportation to El Salvador is forthcoming.
There’s a recurring pattern where Maryland’s law enforcement relinquishes custody of illegal aliens, including criminals, to protect them from deportation. This often occurs without fully considering their criminal backgrounds or informing ICE about their releases.
The White House criticized this behavior in a statement released in early April, condemning Prince George’s County and other Maryland officials for their sanctuary policies which often lead to releasing criminals back into communities.
White House officials asserted that such policies jeopardize American lives, referencing cases where illegal immigrants with serious charges like murder were released despite requests for ICE to intervene.
On Monday, President Trump signed a Presidential Order called “Protecting American Communities from Criminal Foreigners,” aimed at penalizing states and cities that maintain policies favoring illegal criminal aliens. The order seeks to identify sanctuary jurisdictions and impose financial and criminal penalties where needed.
Randy Clark, a veteran of the U.S. Border Patrol with 32 years of service, previously held the position of Chief of Law Enforcement Business, managing operations across nine Border Patrol Bureaus in Del Rio, Texas. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @randyclarkbbtx.
