Brazilian illegal alien charged with rape caught in Massachusetts, handed over to ICE in rare case
In a rare case, a Massachusetts police department honored a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer request for a Brazilian illegal alien accused of rape.ICE Boston apprehended 21-year-old Willian Robert Vasconcelos-Dos Santos in Falmouth, Massachusetts, after he was charged with raping a Massachusetts resident last month.“Willian Robert Vasconcelos-Dos Santos is charged with horrifically victimizing a Massachusetts resident and represents a significant threat to the residents of our communities,” ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Boston acting Field Office Director Patricia H.Hyde said.
“In this case, we appreciate the Falmouth District Court honoring the ICE immigration detainer and allowing our officers to take custody of Vasconcelos in the safety of a jail cell rather than having to arrest him at large.ICE Boston will continue to prioritize public safety by arresting and removing illegal alien offenders from our New England communities.”Vasconcelos-Dos Santos was arrested by the US Border Patrol on April 10, 2024, after he illegally entered the U.S.
near San Diego.Agents served him with a notice to appear before a Department of Justice judge, before he was released on his own recognizance.Less than a year later on Jan.20, 2025, Vasconcelos-Dos Santos was arrested again, but this time by the Falmouth Police Department, which charged him with rape.ICE lodged an immigration detainer against Vasconcelos-Dos Santos with the Falmouth District Court, and the next day he was released into ICE custody.He currently remains in ICE custody.Democratic Massachusetts Gov.
Maura Healey said in November that her state police will “absolutely not” be cooperating with President Donald Trump’s mass deportation efforts, warning that she will use “every tool in the toolbox” to “protect” residents in the blue state.But last month, she changed her tune, noting that her state is not a sanctuary state, despite a 2017 ruling by the s...