Washington, D.C. – Federal authorities have deported a 33-year-old Belgian national who attempted to dodge justice by hiding out in the United States and manipulating the immigration system. Romulus Mihai, convicted in Belgium of sexually exploiting a child, was handed over to Belgian authorities on July 31 after a joint effort between ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) exposed his criminal history.
Mihai had entered the U.S. legally in 2013 under the visa waiver program but failed to disclose his conviction when he later applied for U.S. citizenship. His lies unraveled during a background check, triggering an investigation by USCIS’s Fraud Detection and National Security Directorate. After uncovering his past, the agency flagged him to HSI, who arrested Mihai in April 2025. A Department of Justice immigration judge ordered his removal on June 26.
“Not only did Mihai victimize a child in his home country, but he also tried to manipulate our immigration system to escape accountability,” said Christopher Heck, acting Special Agent in Charge for HSI Washington, D.C. Officials say Mihai’s removal sends a strong message: The U.S. will not serve as a safe haven for predators attempting to rewrite their past.