DHS detains previously deported Guatemalan man charged with raping a child after being released into U.S. in 2022.

DHS Issues Detainer After Graphic Assault Case

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has confirmed that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) issued a detainer in Massachusetts for Lorenzo Lopez Alcario, a 30-year-old Guatemalan national charged with raping a child with force. The detainer was lodged following a graphic video discovery that led to Alcario’s arrest.

DHS revealed that the crime, captured on video and later discovered by the victim’s mother, involved Alcario tying up and brutally assaulting a young girl. The department emphasized that Alcario’s presence in the United States stemmed from a controversial release after a prior deportation, prompting renewed scrutiny of border and detention policies.

According to DHS records, Alcario first entered the U.S. illegally on an unspecified date. In 2017, he was arrested in Arlington, Virginia, for drug possession. By September of the same year, a federal judge ordered his removal, and he was deported on September 28, 2017.

However, DHS states that Alcario reentered the U.S. in June 2022 and was released into the country by immigration authorities despite his criminal history. That release decision has now come under sharp criticism from senior Homeland Security officials under the Trump administration.

Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin issued a statement condemning the earlier release, stating, "Lorenzo Lopez Alcario is a pedophile illegal alien from Guatemala who should’ve never been in the U.S. in the first place." She added that the Biden administration allowed Alcario back into American communities in 2022, calling him a "barbaric criminal" and asserting that the new detainer ensures he will not be able to victimize others.

McLaughlin emphasized that under President Trump’s leadership, ICE has acted swiftly to correct prior lapses. "ICE lodged a detainer to ensure this criminal illegal alien will not be allowed to terrorize American citizens and will deport this child predator to prevent further victims," she stated.

ICE Intensifies Operations in Massachusetts

The case comes amid broader immigration enforcement efforts in Massachusetts, where ICE has recently intensified its presence, especially through initiatives like Operation Patriot. That campaign has led to the arrests of nearly 1,500 individuals, including convicted murderers, drug traffickers, and sex offenders.

Sources from ICE reported that 790 of those arrested had criminal convictions or pending charges, while 277 individuals had already received final orders of removal. Before their apprehension, many of the targeted individuals, including Alcario, had been freely living in communities across the state.

The DHS has positioned the Alcario case as a stark example of the consequences of lapses in immigration enforcement and has pledged continued action to address risks to public safety posed by repeat offenders with prior deportation orders.