A Brazilian national in the United States illegally was detained April 4 on multiple firearms charges by officers with Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Boston.
The unidentified foreign national was arrested in Holbrook, Mass. and charged with carrying a firearm without a license, carrying a loaded firearm without a license and possession of ammunition without a firearms identification card, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced April 20.
“Unlawfully present individuals with firearms violations are a threat to public safety," ERO Boston Field Office Director Todd Lyons said in the news release. "We remain committed to safeguarding our communities.”
The Shrewsbury Police Department received an immigration detainer for his arrest, according to the news release; however, the Westborough District Court discharged the individual on Feb. 27 without informing ICE. He later defaulted on those obligations and the case is pending.
ERO is the primary federal law enforcement agency in charge of domestic immigration enforcement and one of ICE's three operational directorates, according to the press release. ERO's main focus are interior enforcement operations; management of the agency’s detained and non-detained populations; and repatriation of noncitizens who have been issued final orders of removal. ERO's mission is to protect the homeland through the arrest and removal of those who jeopardize the safety of American communities and the integrity of U.S. immigration laws.
More than 7,700 law enforcement and non-law enforcement support personnel work with ERO at 208 locations across the country, 25 domestic field offices, 30 abroad postings, and several temporary duty travel assignments near the border, the press release reported.
ERO detained 46,396 noncitizens with criminal backgrounds for the fiscal year 2022, according to the release. Of those, 198,498 charges and convictions were associated with this group. They included 21,531 assault offenses, 8,164 sex and sexual assault offenses, 5,554 weapon offenses, 1,501 homicide-related offenses, and 1,114 kidnapping offenses, the press release reports.
