In a recent operation by ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) in Boston, a Dominican national with a criminal record for narcotics trafficking was detained in Connecticut. The 32-year-old man, who was previously convicted on a felony drug charge, was apprehended by ERO Boston’s Hartford suboffice on March 12, near his Waterbury residence. The arrest is part of a broader nationwide crackdown targeting unlawfully present drug offenders that has led to 275 arrests between March 11 and March 26, according to an ICE news release.
ERO Boston's chief Todd M. Lyons expressed the gravity of the situation, stating, "Noncitizen convicted of felony drug crimes present a serious threat to public safety. This arrest highlights our continued focus on the apprehension and removal of unlawfully present noncitizen who seek to profit from the drug epidemic that has devastated so many New England communities." The ICE operation aims to prioritize the removal of noncitizens with significant criminal histories, according to Lyons.
The apprehended individual was initially granted admission to the United States by U.S. Customs and Border Protection in October 2007. However, in April 2021, he faced charges from the Waterbury Police Department for possession with intent to sell or dispense narcotics, specifically cocaine. He was later convicted in February 2023 and received a sentence that was reduced to three years’ probation after being released back into the community.
Following his conviction, the terms of his residency status were violated, classifying him as amenable to removal under federal immigration law. ERO deportation officers arrested the man and served him with a notice to appear before an immigration judge. He will now remain in ICE custody pending the outcome of his removal proceedings. ERO Boston asserts its role to protect public safety by arresting and seeking to deport those who undermine both U.S. communities' safety and the integrity of U.S. immigration laws.
The ERO is a key operational directorate within ICE, tasked with overseeing domestic immigration enforcement, managing both detained and non-detained noncitizens, and facilitating the repatriation of those who have received final orders of removal. The public is encouraged to report crimes and suspicious activities to 866-DHS-2-ICE or online at ICE's tip submission platform. More information about ERO Boston and its operations can be found on X, now known as Twitter, at @EROBoston.
