Federal Authorities Released Fugitive Illegal Immigrant To Roam US For Years Before Arrest

Border Patrol released a Pakistani illegal immigrant who was wanted in Brazil for the “active corruption of a public official” into the U.S. in 2016, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said Monday.

The Pakistani, who was a permanent resident of Brazil, crossed the southern border illegally into California in 2016 after the U.S. government refused him a visa, ICE said.

“The U.S. Border Patrol arrested the noncitizen April 5, 2016, at or near Calexico, California, and served him with a notice and order of expedited removal charging him with removability as an immigrant without a valid, unexpired immigrant visa, reentry permit, border crossing card or other valid entry document required by the Immigration and Nationality Act,” ICE said. “Between 2016 and 2023, the noncitizen was out on bond as he proceeded through the immigration process.”

ICE arrested the Pakistani, 32, outside of his residence in Queens, New York, on Oct. 11.

“ERO New York City continues to protect communities by apprehending foreign fugitives who attempt to seek refuge in the United States after committing crimes in other countries,” ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations New York City Field Office Director Kenneth Genalo said in a statement Monday. “ERO remains committed to pursuing noncitizen criminals and repatriating them to their countries of citizenship or legal residence.”

The Pakistani man was released into the country on bond pending his charges of removability from the country, according to ICE. On March 7, 2023, the Brazilian government informed ICE that he was wanted in Brazil.

Border Patrol has seen record illegal immigration at the southern border in recent years, including fiscal year 2022, when there were more than 2.2 million encounters of illegal migrants, according to federal data. That year, ICE arrested 46,396 illegal alien criminals.