NEWARK, NJ — A Dominican national charged with predatory sexual offenses against a child was arrested by ICE on August 13, just weeks after the NYPD released him despite an active immigration detainer, according to federal officials.
Robert Reid Mendez Jimenez, who faces multiple charges involving sexual conduct with a child under the age of 11, was initially taken into custody by New York City police but later released into the community after local authorities declined to hold him for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations agents in Newark located and arrested him after conducting targeted surveillance.
ICE officials say Mendez entered the country illegally and was already under a final deportation order issued by an immigration judge in July 2018. He is now in ICE custody and will remain detained pending removal proceedings.
Federal officials condemned New York City’s refusal to honor the immigration detainer, calling it a failure of local cooperation that allowed a violent offender to reenter public spaces despite serious charges. ICE stated that its deportation officers tracked and arrested Mendez swiftly to prevent further danger to the community.
The arrest highlights the ongoing conflict between federal immigration authorities and sanctuary city policies that prevent local law enforcement from complying with federal detainer requests.
No court date or additional details about the victim have been released. Mendez will remain in federal custody until deportation.
