Andre Ali, a 27-year-old citizen of Guyana, was arrested and charged with escape from custody following an incident at the Rainbow Bridge Port of Entry in Niagara Falls, New York. U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced that Ali faces a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a $100,000 fine if convicted.
According to Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Smith, Customs and Border Protection officers encountered Ali early on September 1, 2025. He was driving a vehicle that made a wrong turn onto the bridge coming from the United States and did not have any identification documents. During secondary inspection, officers determined that Ali was unlawfully present in the country; he had entered as a visitor in April 2018 and was only authorized to stay until October 15, 2018.
Ali was placed in handcuffs and escorted to a secure room for administrative processing. Shortly after being informed he would be detained and required to see a judge, Ali climbed on top of a bench in the secure room and entered the ceiling cavity. He subsequently fell through into an adjacent room and attempted to hide under a shelf before officers regained control.
The investigation leading to these charges was conducted by Customs and Border Protection under Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy.
U.S. authorities stated that this case is part of Operation Take Back America, which aims to use all resources available to address illegal immigration issues and combat criminal organizations across the country.
"The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty," according to officials.
