ICE nabs illegal immigrant convicted for child sex offense, who escaped after parole release in Illinois

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced this week that it had arrested a Mexican illegal immigrant who was convicted of sexual assault of a child, but was put on parole and later escaped monitoring.

The unnamed Mexican national was convicted in Cook County, Illinois, in 2019 and sentenced to six years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.

But in April, he was paroled on electronic monitoring. The terms of his parole meant that he had to register as a sex offender, live in a halfway house and be monitored by state parole officers.

Less than two months later, he cut the electronic monitor off on May 30 and absconded.

The escape led to a multi-day manhunt after the DOC noted his failure to return to the address. On June 2, ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations officers from both the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force and Chicago’s Fugitive Operations Team arrested him as part of what the agency described as a ‘targeted enforcement operation.’

‘Partnering with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies is a crucial aspect of protecting the children in this community,’ acting ERO Chicago Field Office Director Ladeon Francis said in a statement. ‘We, and our law enforcement partners, work tirelessly each day to remove unlawfully present predators from our streets, but we need the public’s help. It’s important to note that with a proactive public who report their suspicions to law enforcement, together, we will increase public safety.’

However, the Mexican national will not yet be deported. He was instead returned to the Illinois DOC, where he will be expected to complete his sentence. ICE said it has issued an immigration detainer for him, which is a request that he be transferred into ICE’s custody when he completes his sentence, so he can be removed from the U.S.

The case highlights the dangers of some of those who come across the border illegally. 

U.S. Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz announced on Friday that in a single week, Border Patrol agents stopped four convicted sex offenders across the border.

He also noted that there were over 5,700 illegal aliens who evaded agents and escaped into the U.S.

This week, Fox News reported how Texas law enforcement recently arrested an illegal immigrant from Honduras who is both an MS-13 gang member and on an international criminal organization watchlist.

Separately, troopers stopped a Mexican illegal immigrant with a handgun and cocaine in his vehicle. He was also smuggling 12 illegal immigrants into the U.S., including two children.