NEW YORK, United States, Tuesday October 22, 2019 – United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) deportation officers arrested a 43-year-old Guyanese man who was previously ordered removed from the US and was twice released from local law enforcement custody.

Grachowe Harrichand was first arrested in March this year on charges of sexual abuse against children and aggravated harassment, and ERO deportation officers lodged a detainer with local authorities.

ICE lodges detainers on individuals who have been arrested on criminal charges and who ICE has probable cause to believe are removable aliens. The detainer asks the other law enforcement agency to notify ICE in advance of release and to maintain custody of the individuals for a brief period of time so that ICE can take custody of that person in a safe and secure setting upon release from that agency’s custody.

However, on June 3 Harrichand pleaded guilty, was sentenced to six months in custody and released from the custody of the New York City Department of Correction (NYCDOC) without ICE being notified.

He was arrested again on July 5 on sexual abuse charges and harassment and, although a detainer was again lodged with the NYCDOC, it was not honoured and Harrichand was later released from custody. Those charges are currently pending.

ERO deportation officers arrested him earlier this month with a final order of removal in place from 2004. He is currently detained in ICE custody pending his deportation to Guyana.

“Harrichand is a repeat offender when it comes to crimes against a child. Yet, he was released back into the community over and over,” said field office director for ERO New York Thomas Decker.

“Time after time the public is presented with child sex offenders who have been released from local custody to potentially commit another crime. It’s frightening that the City is more concerned about the release of a convicted criminal alien, who was ordered deported, than the victims of his crimes.”

ICE said that when law enforcement agencies fail to honour immigration detainers and release serious criminal offenders onto the streets, it undermines ICE’s ability to protect public safety and carry out its mission.

ICE blamed sanctuary policies which prohibit authorities from detaining immigrants in the country illegally based on the efforts by ICE. New York is one of the most prominent sanctuary cities in the United States.