ICE Ignored by MA Court, Illegal Alien Accused of Violent Crimes Released on Bail

A Massachusetts court has come under fire for releasing an illegal alien accused of heinous crimes, despite a request from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to keep him in custody.

Emilio Jose Pena-Casilla, a 46-year-old Dominican national, stands accused of attempted rape, kidnapping, and other grave offenses. This incident has sparked outrage, with critics slamming state leaders for prioritizing political posturing over public safety, as reported by The Blaze.

ICE arrests illegal Dominican migrant charged with kidnapping, sex crimes in Massachusetts. https://t.co/lZPN0Tinjy pic.twitter.com/YH2bJGTilO

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Pena-Casilla was arrested in January 2023 by U.S. Border Patrol agents after unlawfully crossing into the country at Eagle Pass, Texas. ICE placed him in its Alternatives to Detention program, but his enrollment was terminated just a month later.

In July 2024, Pena-Casilla was arraigned in Dorchester District Court on charges including “assault to rape, kidnapping, two counts of indecent assault and battery on a person 14 or older, and intimidating a witness/juror/police/court official.”

ICE promptly issued a detainer request, urging local authorities to hold him in custody at Nashua Street Jail until federal agents could take over. Yet, just one day after the request, the court released him on bail with a GPS tracker.

Adding insult to injury, the charges against Pena-Casilla were dismissed by the Dorchester court after Suffolk County Superior Court indicted him in September on the same allegations. The decision to ignore ICE’s detainer drew sharp criticism, especially as Pena-Casilla’s release posed a clear risk to the community.

Federal agents eventually apprehended Pena-Casilla in Boston on December 17, placing him back in custody. Patricia Hyde, Acting Field Office Director for ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston, emphasized the severity of Pena-Casilla’s alleged crimes.

“We hold a sacred duty to protect the residents of our communities… Today, another victim in Massachusetts no longer needs to fear their predator,” Hyde stated.

This high-profile arrest has reignited debates over Massachusetts’ sanctuary policies, especially after Governor Maura Healey claimed the state is “not a sanctuary state.”

Despite her denials, Massachusetts has repeatedly acted as a haven for illegal immigrants, often at the expense of law-abiding citizens. Healey’s past promises to resist federal immigration enforcement, including vows to defy President Trump’s deportation plans, further underscore the state’s soft stance on illegal immigration.

While Healey recently pivoted, stating her support for deporting illegal aliens who commit crimes, her track record tells a different story. Critics argue that her administration’s actions contradict these claims, exposing Massachusetts residents to unnecessary danger.

Paul Craney of the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance didn’t mince words: “Massachusetts leaders are going above and beyond to protect some of the most violent predators, at the expense of their own constituents. They do this to make a political statement, which is to the detriment of their own state.”

Craney’s scathing critique highlights a growing divide between state leadership and public safety advocates. As the Pena-Casilla case unfolds, Massachusetts residents are left questioning whether their leaders prioritize their safety—or political grandstanding.