Illegal immigrant captured in Northeast US is wanted for 'very serious crimes' in home country

A Colombian national who was apprehended by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Massachusetts this week, and is wanted in his home country for aggravated homicide, was released into the U.S. last year.

The unnamed 49-year-old national was arrested in Colombia in 2014 and charged with aggravated homicide, aggravated theft and possession of a weapon. He was convicted and sentenced to 17 years in prison in 2016.

But in a press release, ICE said he was apprehended by Border Patrol near San Luis, Arizona, in November 2023 after entering illegally. But he was issued a notice to appear before an immigration judge and released into the U.S. on his own recognizance.

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ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) operations in Boston arrested him in Pittsfield on May 6, and he will now remain in custody, ICE said.

"This Colombian national is wanted in his home country for some very serious crimes," ERO Boston Field Office Director Todd Lyons said in a statement. 

"He attempted to hide out in Massachusetts, and now he will have to answer for his actions," he said. "ERO Boston will continue to prioritize public safety by aggressively apprehending and removing the most egregious noncitizen offenders from our New England neighborhoods."

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The news of the arrest comes days after the Biden administration announced a narrow new rule that would allow officials to remove some illegal immigrants considered a public safety or national security threat much earlier in the asylum process.

The rule would allow statutory denials to asylum typically applied later in the asylum process to be applied earlier at the initial screening process, which typically happens within days of someone arriving at the border. It would apply to those considered a risk to national security, including terrorists, or public safety.

A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) senior official who briefed reporters noted it would likely only affect a small population but said it would be "an important additional tool in our toolbox that will allow us to remove individuals much more quickly who may pose a risk to the United States, enhancing our security at the border, while at the same time saving taxpayer money."

Get the latest updates on the ongoing border crisis from the Fox News Digital immigration hub.