Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs | https://www.dhs.gov/
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has placed an immigration detainer on Ricardo Leonel Mejia, a 35-year-old Salvadoran national convicted of raping an 11-year-old girl in Virginia. Mejia was sentenced to 30 years in prison for three counts of rape of a child under the age of 13 and breaking into the family's home. The crimes occurred after he was hired to renovate the family’s bathroom.
Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stated, “Ricardo Leonel Mejia’s crimes are unthinkable. This monstrous individual repeatedly raped an 11-year-old child in her own home. ICE lodged an arrest detainer to ensure that after his prison sentence, he is removed from our country and not able to prey on any more innocent American children. The Biden Administration marked this heinous criminal as a non-enforcement priority—allowing him to roam free and commit these child sex crimes. These are the type of depraved criminals, our brave ICE law enforcement officers are arresting and removing from our country every single day.”
According to ICE, Mejia entered the United States illegally at an unknown date and location. He had previously been convicted four times for traffic offenses, including driving without a license and driving on a suspended license three times.
In July 2023, an immigration judge ended Mejia’s removal proceedings after he was classified as a non-enforcement priority under previous administration policies, allowing him to remain in the U.S.
The agency said it will continue efforts to remove criminal offenders from the United States. The public is encouraged to report criminal activity through the ICE Tip Line at 866-DHS-2-ICE or by submitting information through their online tip form.
