A convicted rapist who entered the country illegally smirked as ICE agents finally apprehended him after Maryland’s sanctuary policies allowed him to walk free despite federal detainer requests.
At a Glance
- ICE arrested Alex Yonatan Flores-Arce, an illegal immigrant convicted of second-degree rape in Maryland
- Despite ICE detainers, Howard County officials released him twice under sanctuary policies
- Flores-Arce was sentenced to 15 years in prison with five years supervised probation
- Video footage shows him smirking during his ICE arrest outside the detention center
- Federal officials criticized local authorities for endangering public safety by ignoring detainers
Detainer Ignored by Maryland County
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents recently arrested Alex Yonatan Flores-Arce, an illegal immigrant who crossed the southern border in 2019 and was later convicted of second-degree rape in Howard County, Maryland. Despite ICE having lodged a detainer requesting his transfer to federal custody upon release, county officials adhering to Maryland’s sanctuary policies released him on May 5 without notifying federal authorities. This forced ICE agents to locate and apprehend him separately, an outcome that officials say creates unnecessary risks for both law enforcement and communities.
Flores-Arce was later rearrested for a probation violation but was again scheduled for release without being turned over to ICE. Agents finally apprehended him as he was leaving the Howard County Detention Center. During his arrest, Flores-Arce displayed a dismissive attitude, visibly smirking as agents took him into custody – behavior captured on video that has intensified public outrage over the case.
Federal Officials Express Frustration
ICE officials have publicly criticized Howard County’s decision to ignore their detainer request, emphasizing how such non-cooperation threatens public safety. Nikita Baker, ICE Baltimore’s acting Field Office Director, expressed strong concerns about the county’s actions and what she describes as a dangerous pattern of behavior regarding criminal illegal immigrants.
Flores-Arce had received a 15-year prison sentence with five years of supervised probation for his rape conviction, but details about how he came to be released despite this sentence remain unclear. He will now remain in ICE custody pending deportation proceedings. Federal immigration officials maintain that Flores-Arce’s case exemplifies the unnecessary complications and public safety risks created when local jurisdictions refuse to honor federal detainers.
Pattern of Non-Cooperation in Maryland
This case is not isolated in Maryland, where sanctuary policies have repeatedly prevented the smooth transfer of criminal illegal immigrants to federal custody. In a separate but similar case, ICE recently apprehended Henry Argueta-Tobar, an illegal immigrant from Guatemala convicted of raping a Maryland resident. Like Flores-Arce, Argueta-Tobar first entered the U.S. illegally in 2019 near El Paso, Texas. The Charles County Detention Center similarly refused to honor an ICE detainer requesting they hold him for 48 hours.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore has disputed characterizations of Maryland as a sanctuary state, claiming “there’s nowhere that a state has an ICE policy” and suggesting that those who say otherwise are “either politically motivated or just deeply uninformed.” However, the pattern of local jurisdictions declining to honor ICE detainers appears consistent with what many define as sanctuary policies – practices that limit cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities.
