BOSTON, CMC – The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has arrested a Jamaican on multiple criminal charges, including narcotics, firearms and motor vehicular theft.

ICE said the unidentified 23-year-old man was originally authorised to enter the United States (US) under a temporary tourist visa for a limited time but remained beyond the terms of his visa.

In May 2019, ICE said the Jamaican was arrested by the Boston Police Department on charges of conspiracy to violate the Controlled Substance Act, carrying a firearm with ammunition, narcotics possession with intent to distribute, carrying a firearm without a permit, possession of ammunition without a firearm identification card, and possession of a firearm with a defaced serial number.

“Our immigration system is not meant to provide a pathway for those seeking to engage in criminal activity,” said Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Boston Field Office Director Todd Lyons.

“ERO Boston will apprehend and seek to remove unlawfully present individuals who violate local narcotics and firearms laws. The public safety of our communities is ERO Boston’s mission,” Lyons added.

ICE said non-citizens placed into removal proceedings receive their legal due process from US federal immigration judges in the immigration courts, which are administered by the US Justice Department’s Executive Office for Immigration Review, an agency within the US Department of Justice and is separate from the US Department of Homeland Security and ICE.

Last year, ICE said ERO arrested 46,396 foreign nationals with criminal histories, including 21,531 on assault offenses; 8,164 with sex and sexual assault offenses; 5,554 on weapon charges, 1,501 homicide-related offenses; and 1,114 kidnapping charges.