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The individuals arrested include:
Kele Cristian Alves-Pereira, taken into custody on March 13 in Everett, Massachusetts. Brazilian authorities had issued a 2021 murder warrant, and Interpol also placed a Red Notice on the suspect. ICE notes the individual remained at large in the region for years.
Danny Granados-Garcia, arrested March 10 in Waterbury, Connecticut. Authorities in El Salvador are seeking him for aggravated homicide and alleged membership in a terrorist organization.
Magno Jose Dos Santos, arrested March 22 in Worcester, Massachusetts, is wanted in Brazil for homicide and attempted homicide related to a 2021 incident.
Bryan Rafael Gomez, arrested April 4 in Worcester, faces an Interpol Red Notice issued by the Dominican Republic for homicide charges.
Altieris Chaves Paiva, arrested April 5 in Falmouth, Massachusetts, is also wanted by Brazilian authorities under a homicide-related Interpol Red Notice.
ICE officials emphasized that all five entered the United States during the Biden administration and were later located in New England communities.
ICE Boston said: “Each illegally entered the United States during the Biden administration’s disastrous open border policy.”
Wu’s Immigration Directive Under Scrutiny
The arrests have reignited scrutiny of Mayor Michelle Wu’s immigration policies, particularly an executive order she signed earlier this year.
On February 5, Wu issued an executive order declaring ICE missions “unconstitutional and violent federal operations” and banned agents from using city-owned property for civil immigration enforcement. She called in mayors from Cambridge, Somerville, Chelsea, Lynn, and Newton to stand with her at the press conference.
Critics argue that such policies restrict cooperation with federal authorities and limit the ability to detain individuals wanted for serious crimes.
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin sharply criticized the move, saying, “While Mayor Wu continues to release pedophiles, rapists, gang members, and murderers onto the streets, our brave law enforcement will continue to risk their lives to arrest these heinous criminals and make Boston safe again,” McLaughlin said.
The mayor’s office has not publicly disputed that the five homicide suspects were living in the region prior to their arrests.
Public Backlash at Fenway Adds Political Pressure
Long before ICE announced the arrests, Wu was already facing visible public backlash.
During the Red Sox home opener at Fenway Park, she was met with a wave of boos from tens of thousands of fans. The reaction was loud enough that it quickly spread across social media and was widely shared online.
Republican gubernatorial candidate Brian Shortsleeve, who was present at the game, described the moment as even more intense in person, stating, “It was even louder in person,” he said.
It was not an isolated incident either. Wu was also booed at the previous year’s home opener, suggesting a pattern of public dissatisfaction among some Boston residents.
ICE Stands by Enforcement Strategy
Federal immigration officials say their focus remains on targeting the most dangerous offenders.
“ERO Boston has always been – and will continue to be – strongly committed to targeted enforcement actions against the most dangerous criminal aliens, ensuring the safety and security of our New England communities.”
ICE officials maintain that local restrictions and political opposition do not deter their enforcement priorities, particularly when it comes to individuals accused of violent crimes.
As the debate over immigration enforcement intensifies, the arrests—and the crowd reaction at Fenway—have now become part of a broader political storm in Boston, one that shows no sign of easing anytime soon.
