ICE Apprehends Guatemalan National Charged with Child Rape in Massachusetts

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has apprehended an illegal alien from Guatemala in Massachusetts who was charged with multiple counts of child rape.

ICE stated that 49-year-old Jose Fernando-Perez was taken into custody in Framingham, Massachusetts on February 2. He faced three counts of forcible rape of a child and three counts of aggravated rape of a child.

Acting Field Office Director for ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Boston, Patricia H. Hyde, commented, “Jose Fernando-Perez has been charged with some horrific crimes against a minor in our commonwealth. He is exactly the type of alien we are targeting with our 'worst first' policy. He posed a significant danger to the children of Massachusetts, and we will not tolerate such a threat to our community."

According to ICE, Fernando entered the U.S. illegally at an unknown date and location, without being inspected, admitted, or paroled by an immigration official.

In December 2005, Fernando was arraigned in Lynn District Court for leaving the scene of an accident with property damage and for having inaccurate license plates attached to the vehicle. He was convicted of these charges on October 19, 2012.

Fernando was arraigned again in Lynn District Court on April 19, 2022, but this time for rape of a child by force. However, the court dismissed the case due to an indictment in the superior court.

ICE lodged an immigration detainer against Fernando on May 16, 2022, with the Essex County House of Correction; unfortunately, the Essex County Superior Court ignored the detainer and released him on pretrial conditions on October 6, 2022.

On February 2, Fernando was apprehended, and ICE officers have since served him with a notice to appear before an immigration judge with the Department of Justice. Currently, he remains in custody.

Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey had initially stated that her state police would “absolutely not” cooperate with President Donald Trump's mass deportation efforts, expressing a commitment to protect residents. However, she recently acknowledged that her state is not a sanctuary state, despite past judicial rulings that limited law enforcement's cooperation with ICE.

Healey previously opposed efforts to target large undocumented populations but has taken a more centrist position on immigration enforcement recently. She expressed outrage over an illegal migrant using the state's sanctuary system for criminal activity, leading her to order a full inspection and advocate for changes in the state's "right to shelter" laws.

Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell continues to oppose Trump's immigration crackdown, publicly voicing her discontent with the federal administration’s decisions.