Brazilian illegal alien charged with rape caught in Massachusetts, handed over to ICE in rare case

In an unusual turn of events, a Massachusetts police department honored a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer request for a Brazilian illegal alien accused of rape.

ICE Boston apprehended 21-year-old Willian Robert Vasconcelos-Dos Santos in Falmouth, Massachusetts, after he was charged with raping a Massachusetts resident last month.

“Willian Robert Vasconcelos-Dos Santos is charged with horrifically victimizing a Massachusetts resident and represents a significant threat to the residents of our communities,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Boston acting Field Office Director Patricia H. Hyde. “In this case, we appreciate the Falmouth District Court honoring the ICE immigration detainer and allowing our officers to take custody of Vasconcelos in the safety of a jail cell rather than having to arrest him at large. ICE Boston will continue to prioritize public safety by arresting and removing illegal alien offenders from our New England communities.”

Vasconcelos-Dos Santos was arrested by the US Border Patrol on April 10, 2024, after illegally entering the U.S. near San Diego.

Agents served him with a notice to appear before a Department of Justice judge, before he was released on his own recognizance.

Less than a year later on Jan. 20, 2025, Vasconcelos-Dos Santos was arrested again, this time by the Falmouth Police Department, on charges of rape.

ICE lodged an immigration detainer against Vasconcelos-Dos Santos with the Falmouth District Court, and the next day he was released into ICE custody.

He is currently in ICE custody.

Democratic Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey initially opposed cooperating with President Donald Trump’s mass deportation efforts but later changed her stance, clarifying that Massachusetts is not a sanctuary state.

Healey has taken a slightly more centrist position on immigration enforcement in recent months. After an illegal migrant was found using the state’s migrant shelter system for illegal activities, Healey ordered a full inspection of the system and urged legislative leaders to amend the state’s “right to shelter” laws to exclude illegal immigrants.

She also commented on Trump’s opportunity to fix the border and expressed hope that he would do so.

Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell continues to oppose the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, emphasizing on social media that state and local law enforcement cannot be used for federal immigration enforcement.

Fox News Digital’s Peter Pinedo, Stephen Sorace, and Adam Shaw contributed to this report.