ICE Facility Houses Violent Offenders, Officials Report
The New Jersey Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center at the center of a political confrontation Friday currently houses numerous violent offenders, including suspected gang members, murderers and sex offenders, according to Department of Homeland Security officials.
The Delaney Hall Detention Center in Newark became the focus of national attention when three Democratic members of Congress and the city’s mayor were involved in an incident that led to the mayor’s arrest for trespassing.
High-Risk Detainee Profiles Released
In a statement released following the incident, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin characterized the facility’s detainees as “murderers, terrorists, child rapists and MS-13 gang members,” according to Fox News.
Officials provided specific examples of individuals currently housed at the facility, including several alleged MS-13 gang members and individuals wanted internationally for serious crimes. One detainee is subject to an INTERPOL Red Notice for homicide charges in Brazil, while another faces sex crime charges against minors.
MS-13 Gang Members Among Detainees
Among the detainees highlighted by authorities is Chinchilla Caballero, who was arrested on April 29 in Bloomfield, New Jersey. Officials described him as “a positive match to numerous TECS lookouts and a known active member of MS-13,” according to documents released by the Department of Homeland Security.
Another detainee, identified as Saravia Santamaria, was arrested on May 1 in North Bergen, New Jersey. DHS officials described him as “a citizen and national of El Salvador and a verified MS-13 member” who was captured in relation to what they termed a “Raven operation.”
Fugitives from International Justice
The facility also houses Ramos Marin, a Brazilian national who is wanted in his home country for homicide charges. Marin, who was arrested on April 3, is the subject of an active INTERPOL Red Notice, which is an international request for law enforcement agencies to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition.
Additionally, authorities revealed the detention of Hugo De La Torre-Tomailla, a Peruvian national subject to an INTERPOL Red Notice for charges of “Violation of Sexual Freedom – Sexual Rape of a Minor” in Peru, where he reportedly faces up to thirty years in prison if convicted, according to DHS.
Other Criminal Detainees
The Department of Homeland Security also cited the case of Adonis Estevez Bello, a 23-year-old citizen of the Dominican Republic arrested on May 5. Officials stated that Estevez has multiple felony convictions, including “possession of a controlled dangerous substance, drug trafficking, resisting arrest, and possession of a weapon for unlawful purposes.”
Authorities also allege that Estevez has active gang affiliations with a street gang known as “Dominicans don’t play” and will remain in ICE custody pending a removal hearing.
