ICE Boston arrests illegal Dominican drug dealer charged with shoplifting, assault, battery with dangerous weapon

BOSTON — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement apprehended an illegally present Dominican national convicted of heroin distribution crimes, who is currently charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and shoplifting crimes when ICE officers arrested Santor Aibar, 56, in East Boston Jan. 22. 

“Santos Aibar is exactly the kind of alien offender who needs to be removed from the streets of Massachusetts,” said ICE Boston Enforcement and Removal Operations acting Field Office Director Patricia H. Hyde. “He has already been convicted of peddling poison to our neighborhoods, and he currently stands accused of assaulting a resident with a box cutter. ICE Boston will not tolerate such threats to the people of our New England communities. We stand committed to our mission of arresting and removing such egregious alien threats.”

Aibar illegally entered the United States on an unknown date, at an unknown location, and without being admitted, inspected, or paroled by a U.S. immigration official.

The West Roxbury District Court in Massachusetts convicted Aibar Sept. 29, 2008, for distribution of of heroin and sentenced him to one year in prison.

ICE officers arrested Aibar at the Nashua Street Jail in Boston July 2, 2010, and served him with a notice to appear before a Department of Justice immigration judge.

The immigration judge ordered Aibar removed from the U.S. on Sept. 30, 2010, and ICE removed Aibar to the Dominican Republic Nov. 17, 2010.

Aibar illegally re-entered the U.S. on an unknown date, at an unknown location, and without being admitted, inspected, or paroled by a U.S. immigration official.

ICE encountered Aibar Feb. 28, 2023, following his arrest by local authorities, and issued an immigration detainer against Aibar with the Boston Police Department.

ICE stated that the state of Massachusetts released Aibar on Feb. 25, 2024, without honoring the immigration detainer.

The South Boston District Court arraigned Aibar Sept. 03, 2024, for the offenses of assault with dangerous weapon and shoplifting. 

Aibar remains in custody following his apprehension by ICE.

Much has been made recently concerning immigration detainers. According to Boston 25 News, Massachusetts sheriffs say under state law, they don’t have the power to hold an inmate with a detainer until the feds come to pick them up.

“We have violent offenders here who are illegal. Yet they could get bailed out this afternoon. We have no ability to hold them, beyond their release. We can call ICE, but they may not be able to get here in time. Or they may not be here for hours. We have no authority to hold them,” said Worcester County Sheriff Lew Evangelidis.

Members of the public with information can report crimes or suspicious activity by dialing the ICE Tip Line at 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.