BOSTON — Officers from Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Boston arrested a fugitive on October 10 in Everett, Massachusetts. The 37-year-old Brazilian national is wanted in Brazil for financial fraud.
“Financial crimes are not victimless crimes. They can cause great damage and harm to those who are victimized by them,” stated Todd Lyons, ERO Boston Field Office Director. “Individuals unlawfully present and wanted for serious crimes in their home country cannot use our immigration system to evade justice. ERO Boston remains committed to seeking out and apprehending criminals wanted for offenses committed abroad.”
The suspect unlawfully entered the U.S. through Otay Mesa, California, in July 2021, where he was apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol. He was released under the Alternatives to Detention (ATD) program while awaiting removal proceedings. Since October 2022, the Brazilian national has been a target of a criminal court in Caratinga, Minas Gerais, Brazil, facing charges of financial fraud, a felony punishable by five years in prison. He will remain in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody as his removal process proceeds.
ICE’s ATD program, introduced in 2004, utilizes technology and case management to ensure compliance with court hearings, release conditions, and final orders of removal. The program increases supervision of noncitizens, improving compliance with court requirements while addressing their basic needs.
Failure to comply with ATD conditions can lead to an in absentia ruling from an immigration judge, which may make the individual a priority for arrest and removal. ICE officers make enforcement decisions based on individual case circumstances and prioritize threats to homeland security.
Noncitizens in removal proceedings have the right to due process through federal immigration judges in the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), which operates independently of the Department of Homeland Security and ICE. ICE enforces removal decisions made by immigration judges.
In fiscal year 2022, ERO arrested 46,396 noncitizens with criminal histories, totaling 198,498 charges and convictions, including assault, sex crimes, weapons offenses, and homicide-related crimes.
ERO, as one of ICE’s key operational divisions, focuses on safeguarding U.S. communities by removing individuals who pose risks to public safety and the integrity of U.S. immigration laws. ERO’s workforce includes more than 7,700 law enforcement personnel across 25 field offices and 208 locations, both domestic and international.
