According to an ICE report dated Feb. 21, police were forced to perform a public arrest of convicted narcotics dealer Anderson Nunez-Hernandez, a Dominican Republic citizen, upon his release from the Philadelphia Industrial Correctional Complex. Nunez-Hernandez was taken into jail after serving a 23-month sentence for possession with intent to distribute charges because Philadelphia refused to comply with an immigration detainer issued for him. According to ICE, such measures require significant resources to remedy problems that should have been avoided.
According to ICE, its activities were hampered by the Philadelphia Sheriff’s Department’s refusal to honor the detainer, resulting in what acting Field Office Director Brian McShane called a public safety compromise and an unnecessary drain on government expenditures. McShane said, “It forces ICE to divert substantial resources to locate and apprehend criminal aliens in unpredictable, high-risk public areas.” He characterized noncompliance with releasing a criminal individual into the community without consultation with federal law enforcement as putting politics before public safety. Nunez-Hernandez was initially detained by the US Border Patrol in Texas, was released from ICE custody, and had an immigration removal hearing planned for Philadelphia.
Following his arrest near McAllen, Texas, for entering the United States without valid entrance, Nunez-Hernandez was summoned to appear before an immigration judge and later paroled, with orders to appear for a further removal proceeding. During his tenure in Pennsylvania, he became the subject of a narcotics investigation led by the state’s Attorney General’s Bureau of Narcotics Investigation, which included an ICE agent. This operation led to the seizure of a huge amount of fentanyl, as well as his subsequent arrest and imprisonment. On February 21, he was convicted by Philadelphia County’s Court of Common Pleas.
ICE invites anybody with information on crimes or suspicious behavior to contact them via the Tip Line at 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or the online tip form.
