WEST BOYLSTON, Mass. (TND) — Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials on Tuesday announced the arrest of an illegal immigrant wanted for murder in the Dominican Republic.

The Dominican citizen entered the country as a nonimmigrant visitor in October 2015, according to an immigration news release. He left the U.S. later that month but returned illegally at an unknown date, federal officials say.

Dominican authorities issued an arrest warrant for the unnamed immigrant in April 2024. If convicted of this charge, he faces 30 years in prison.

The migrant was arraigned on identity theft and theft charges in Westborough, Massachusetts, on June 20. Immigration officials arrested him the same day. He will remain in ICE custody while awaiting the outcome of the deportation proceedings against him, officials say.

“This Dominican refugee is a suspected murderer who fled to Massachusetts rather than face justice in his home country,” said Todd Lyons, director of ERO's Boston field office. “We will not allow our New England communities to become safe havens for criminals from around the world. ERO Boston will continue to make public safety our highest priority by apprehending and removing serious non-citizen offenders from our neighborhoods.”

The encounter is one of several recent arrests of foreign nationals by ICE. The agency announced this month the arrest of a Guatemalan national after he allegedly raped a child in Massachusetts.

ICE also reported the arrest of an Ecuadorian national near Worcester, Massachusetts, who was wanted in his home country for rape.

Massachusetts is still struggling to handle the influx of migrants coming to the state to claim its “right to shelter.” Governor Maura Healey sent five state officials to Texas this week to try to stop migrants from making the journey north to Massachusetts.

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