Illegals Attack U.S. Capitol?
On December 26, Capitol Police apprehended Jose Leonardo Marquez, a 23-year-old Venezuelan man, for wielding a machete, butcher’s knife, and brick at the U.S. Capitol Building, as reported by the Washington Examiner. Marquez faces charges of carrying a dangerous weapon and possessing a prohibited weapon.
Marquez’s entry into the United States occurred without proper admission, inspection, or parole by an immigration official, as disclosed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO) Washington, D.C. He falls into the category of “got-away,” signifying a foreign national intentionally evading legal entry points to avoid law enforcement. Since January 2021, there have been approximately 1.7 million reported cases of such incidents.
Patrick Divver, the acting field office director for ICE ERO – Washington, D.C., emphasized Marquez’s significant threat in the vicinity of the U.S. Capitol. Divver expressed gratitude to the U.S. Capitol Police for swiftly mitigating the threat and ensuring Marquez’s custody. Marquez was initially arrested near El Paso, Texas, by Border Patrol agents on August 21, 2022, and released the following day due to capacity constraints.
After reporting to ICE ERO officials in Washington, D.C., on October 5, 2023, Marquez received a notice to appear before an immigration judge in the Justice Department. Following this, ICE ERO agents filed an immigration detainer against him on December 27, 2023, leading to his transfer into ICE ERO custody. Marquez is currently detained, awaiting removal proceedings.
In fiscal year 2022, ICE ERO arrested 46,396 illegal immigrants with criminal histories, resulting in 198,498 associated charges and convictions. These offenses encompassed a range of crimes, including assault, sexual assault, weapons-related offenses, homicide, and kidnapping, as reported by the Washington Examiner.
