Despite the best efforts of Maryland law enforcement authorities to protect a known criminal alien gang member, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested Brayan Eleazar Angulo-Barrios, 26, in Hyattsville, Maryland. Angulo-Barrios was shielded from arrest by ICE when he was released by the Prince George’s County Department of Corrections. Officials released the criminal alien despite the filing of an immigration detainer by ICE.
ICE agents say Angulo-Barrios is a known 18th Street gang member who has been convicted of possession of a loaded handgun and possession of narcotics with the intent to distribute. ICE arrested Angulo-Barrios last week in Hyattsville.
Authorities say Angulo-Barrios entered the United States illegally on an unknown date at an unknown location without being inspected, admitted, or paroled by an immigration officer. Angulo-Barrios has no legal immigration status in the United States.
According to ICE, Angulo-Barrios was arrested by the Prince George’s County Police Department in 2021 and was charged with possession of narcotics with the intent to distribute. At the time of his arrest for the narcotics distribution offense, Angulo-Barrios had a loaded handgun in his possession.
The Circuit Court for Prince George’s County convicted Angulo-Barrios of possession with intent to distribute and possession of a loaded handgun in August 2023. He was sentenced to one year in prison and three years of supervised probation for both offenses.
In another incident, the Maryland State Police arrested and charged Angulo-Barrios with possessing a loaded handgun in his vehicle on July 29, 2022. The District Court for Montgomery County in Silver Spring, Maryland, convicted Angulo-Barrios of possessing a loaded handgun in November 2022. For that offense, Angulo-Barrios was sentenced to 110 days in jail.
The Prince George’s County Police Department arrested Angulo-Barrios once again in April 2024 and charged him with violating his probation.
ICE lodged an immigration detainer on Angulo-Barrios with Prince George’s County Department of Corrections on April 19, 2024. The Department declined to honor ICE’s immigration detainer and released Angulo-Barrios from custody on April 23, 2024. For nearly a year, Angulo-Barrios remained free within Maryland until his arrest last week.
According to ICE, a final order of removal for Angulo-Barrios was issued on April 22, and the Salvadoran gang member will remain in ICE custody pending his removal from the United States to El Salvador.
Maryland law enforcement agencies and correctional facilities have a history of releasing criminal illegal aliens onto the streets of their cities to shield them from deportation by ICE authorities. The aliens are released regardless of criminal history or ICE detainers requesting notification before release.
In early April, the White House issued a statement condemning Prince George’s County’s refusal to honor the detainers. The statement was also critical of other Maryland officials who support the sanctuary policies that result in the release of violent criminal illegal aliens.
In the statement, a White House official said the sanctuary policies endanger the lives of Americans, adding, “The latest example comes in Prince George’s County, Maryland, where an illegal immigrant was arrested, charged with murder and assault, then released back onto the streets despite an ICE immigration detainer request — a result of the county’s insane “sanctuary” policies.”
On Monday, President Trump signed an executive order titled “Protecting American Communities from Criminal Aliens,” aimed at punishing states and municipalities that have policies and practices that shield criminal illegal aliens. The order calls for identifying sanctuary states and cities and imposing financial and criminal consequences where appropriate.
Randy Clark is a 32-year veteran of the United States Border Patrol. Before his retirement, he served as the Division Chief for Law Enforcement Operations, directing operations for nine Border Patrol Stations within the Del Rio, Texas, Sector. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @RandyClarkBBTX.
Read the full article here
