NEWARK, NJ – A Brazilian national who overstayed his visa by nearly a decade was arrested earlier this month in New Jersey after ICE officers discovered a loaded handgun, an airsoft pistol, and a large knife inside his vehicle during a routine immigration operation.
Daniel Firmino Dos Santos Vicente, who entered the United States through Detroit on a tourist visa in October 2015, failed to leave the country by the expiration date of April 16, 2016. On Friday, August 9, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Newark officers, alongside CBP, encountered Vicente in Cinnaminson, where they discovered multiple weapons in plain view during his apprehension.
Agents say Vicente had a Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol, a realistic airsoft handgun, and a large knife positioned within reach on the vehicle’s center console, raising concerns over potential threats to officer safety. He was immediately taken into custody.
Vicente is now facing federal criminal charges for being an alien in possession of a firearm. He remains in ICE detention at the Elizabeth Contract Detention Facility in Elizabeth pending removal proceedings.
ICE officials highlighted the arrest as another example of the rising dangers federal agents face, noting a significant spike in assaults against immigration officers in recent years.
Investigators have not linked Vicente to any ongoing criminal activity beyond his immigration and weapons violations, but the case remains under review.