It looks like even some so-called “sanctuary states” are getting the message: protecting hordes of illegal alien criminals is unpopular, dangerous, and won’t be tolerated under this administration.
In a rare move, the state of Massachusetts honored an immigration detainer placed on a convicted criminal who has been living in the United States illegally. Willian Robert Vasconcelos-Dos Santos, a 21-year-old Brazilian national living in Falmouth, was charged with raping a Massachusetts resident last month, according to the New York Post. Santos had been in the country since April of 2024, when he was apprehended crossing the border unlawfully near San Diego as one of millions of illegal aliens allowed into the country by the Biden administration. He was freed with a notice to appear for an immigration hearing.
Less than a year later, he was picked up for rape. ICE immediately issued a detainer requesting Santos be turned over to them for immigration proceedings. He was handed over to the federal agency the next day.
While handing over one convicted illegal alien rapist shouldn’t be newsworthy, in this case, it is - largely due to Massachusetts’ self-declared status as a sanctuary for undocumented migrants, including those who’ve been convicted of some of the most heinous crimes imaginable. The blue state has a long history of freeing convicted criminal aliens or those facing serious charges back onto the streets while ignoring requests from ICE to take custody of them.
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In fact, Massachusetts’ Democrat Governor Maura Healey recently declared unequivocally that her state would not be cooperating with federal immigration officials to detain illegal aliens convicted of crimes, following President Donald Trump’s announcement that states and localities that shield illegal aliens from ICE may see their federal funding stripped. The state is currently home to between 350,000 and 400,000 illegal aliens, with about 50,000 new migrants having arrived since 2021, according to the Center for Immigration Studies.
Healey has since backtracked on her bold "sanctuary" stance, instead vowing to defend illegal aliens who haven’t been convicted of non-immigration-related crimes.
It’s almost like she’s figured out protecting illegal alien rapists isn’t a very popular move. Or, frankly, a smart one - both for the safety of her residents, or the future of the state's bank account.
For their part, ICE officials in Boston said they "appreciate" Massachusetts law enforcement cooperating with them and turning a violent rapist over for deportation.
“Willian Robert Vasconcelos-Dos Santos is charged with horrifically victimizing a Massachusetts resident and represents a significant threat to the residents of our communities,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston acting Field Office Director Patricia Hyde in a statement. “In this case, we appreciate the Falmouth District Court honoring the ICE immigration detainer and allowing our officers to take custody of Vasconcelos in the safety of a jail cell rather than having to arrest him at large. ICE Boston will continue to prioritize public safety by arresting and removing illegal alien offenders from our New England communities.”
While it's a step in the right direction, ICE should be booting out so many criminal aliens every day that they don't even think about issuing statements about them. And state officials should be so giddy about purging their communities of violent degenerates who shouldn't even be in this country in the first place that they don't need to be thanked for simply doing the right thing.
