ICE apprehends Haitian citizen after being released in Massachusetts on alleged crimes against disabled person

BOSTON — Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston apprehended an unlawfully present Haitian national January 9th who was recently arrested by local police on charges of rape and indecent assault and battery on a developmentally disabled person in Dorchester. ERO Boston stated that they lodged an immigration detainer against the Haitian citizen, but the Dorchester District Court chose not to honor it and released him from jail after his arrest on the sexual assault-related charges.

“Disturbingly and despite our filing an immigration detainer, this individual was released back into the community by the criminal court,” said ERO Boston Field Office Director Todd M. Lyons. “The men and women of ERO Boston continue to protect the community from those who pose a real public safety threat to our communities. We remain strongly committed to protecting residents in communities by apprehending those who are not lawfully present in this country and pose a threat to public safety. This remains central piece of our mission.”

In December 2022, the 31-year-old Haitian national, who is Pierre Lucard Emile according to Boston 25 News, arrived at the port of entry in Brownsville, Texas, where he was deemed inadmissible and issued a notice to appear before an immigration judge with the Department of Justice Executive Office for Immigration Review in Boston.

In September 2023, Boston police arrested him for rape and indecent assault and battery on a developmentally disabled person. Following his arrest, ERO Boston lodged an immigration detainer with the Dorchester District Court seeking his custody. The court did not honor the immigration detainer, and the noncitizen was ultimately released from the jail in Boston, where he had been held since his arrest, with an electronic monitoring device November 8, 2023, pending the resolution of his criminal charges in a local criminal court.

After becoming aware of his recent arrest and unlawful immigration status, ERO Boston began an investigation to confirm the Haitian citizen’s presence in its area of responsibility. Following confirmation of his presence, officers with ERO Boston arrested him without incident in Dorchester on January 9th.

His charges remain pending with the local criminal court. He will remain in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody pending an upcoming hearing before a DOJ immigration judge. Following adjudication of his local criminal charges, ERO Boston will seek his removal from the United States