An illegal immigrant who has been in the United States since 2013 accused of recently robbing and sexually assaulting a woman has a long criminal record and "was repeatedly protected by sanctuary policies in Maryland," according to a former chief of staff at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Fox 5 reports Montgomery County police say 20-year-old Jose Hernandez-Espinal approached two women who were enjoying lunch in Silver Spring near a nature trail with a machete. Hernandez-Espinal allegedly sexually assaulted one of them and then stole their belongings.
Jon Feere, who is now the director of investigations at the Center for Immigration Studies, tweeted sources informed him about Hernandez-Espinal's criminal record, which started after he did not show up to his immigration court date in 2014. An order for him to be removed from the country was then issued. ICE did locate him when he was serving a 26-month sentence in Prince George's County jail for six counts of 2nd degree assault.
Due to the county's sanctuary policies, ICE was not notified when he was released despite putting a retainer on him.
NEW: Sources report to me that the illegal alien arrested for raping a woman and a teenager has a LENGTHY criminal and immigration history and was repeatedly protected by sanctuary policies in Maryland. Criminal history of Jose Roberto Hernandez-Espinal, 20, in next tweet... 🧵 https://t.co/GeZ84e91ui
— Jon Feere 🇺🇸 (@JonFeere) May 22, 2023
Hernandez-Espinal crossed border in 2013 w/father under Obama. Never showed up to court. Convictions for 6 counts of assault, involving armed robbery; sanctuary ignores ICE detainer, releases him. Arrested Feb '23 for malicious destruction, released again. Now suspect in 2 rapes: pic.twitter.com/8aeRsbjybv
— Jon Feere 🇺🇸 (@JonFeere) May 22, 2023
ICE issued a warning in 2019 about the consequences of Montgomery and Prince George's Counties' sanctuary policies:
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has repeatedly asked local jurisdictions to reconsider non-cooperation policies because those policies put politics before public safety. On Friday, ICE released more examples of foreign nationals with active ICE detainers who have been detained for serious criminal offenses in Maryland’s Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties. These individuals have not yet been released to the community to potentially reoffend, and ICE asks that they are transferred to its custody prior to that happening.
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