Federal immigration officers arrested a Brazilian national in Marlboro, Massachusetts, last month who had been convicted of homicide and firearms violations in his home country and was wanted for failing to serve his prison sentence, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
ICE Boston, working in coordination with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s New England Division, apprehended 33-year-old Jomar Henrique Souza-Santos on March 20. He had been living in the United States after entering the country illegally in July 2022 near El Paso, Texas.
Souza-Santos was previously detained by U.S. Border Patrol and issued a notice to appear before an immigration judge. ICE released him under an order of recognizance in September 2022 while removal proceedings were pending.
Brazilian authorities issued a criminal arrest warrant for Souza-Santos on October 27, 2023, citing his failure to serve a sentence stemming from convictions for homicide and illegal possession of a firearm.
“Jomar Henrique Souza-Santos murdered a person in his native country and attempted to subvert justice by hiding out in Massachusetts,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations acting Field Office Director Patricia H. Hyde in a public statement.
ICE continues efforts to locate and remove foreign fugitives
ICE officials stated that Souza-Santos posed a public safety risk by refusing to serve his sentence and attempting to remain in the U.S. while avoiding prosecution abroad.
The agency has not disclosed whether removal proceedings have resumed or whether Souza-Santos remains in federal custody pending deportation.
His case remains under the jurisdiction of the Department of Justice immigration courts.
