Massachusetts Police Defy State Policy, Hand Over Illegal Immigrant Rape Suspect to ICE
Charlie Kirk Staff
02/25/2025

In a rare move, a Massachusetts police department has complied with a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer request, leading to the arrest of a Brazilian illegal immigrant accused of rape.
ICE Boston took custody of 21-year-old Willian Robert Vasconcelos-Dos Santos in Falmouth, Massachusetts, following his charge for the alleged rape of a Massachusetts resident last month, Fox reports.
“Willian Robert Vasconcelos-Dos Santos is charged with horrifically victimizing a Massachusetts resident and represents a significant threat to the residents of our communities,” ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Boston acting Field Office Director Patricia H. Hyde said. “In this case, we appreciate the Falmouth District Court honoring the ICE immigration detainer and allowing our officers to take custody of Vasconcelos in the safety of a jail cell rather than having to arrest him at large. ICE Boston will continue to prioritize public safety by arresting and removing illegal alien offenders from our New England communities.”
Vasconcelos-Dos Santos was first arrested by the U.S. Border Patrol on April 10, 2024, after illegally crossing into the U.S. near San Diego. After being served with a notice to appear before a Department of Justice judge, he was released on his own recognizance.
Less than a year later, on January 20, 2025, Vasconcelos-Dos Santos was arrested again by the Falmouth Police Department and charged with rape. ICE subsequently lodged an immigration detainer against him with the Falmouth District Court, and the next day, he was transferred into ICE custody, where he remains.
Democratic Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey stated in November that state police would “absolutely not” cooperate with President Donald Trump’s mass deportation efforts, pledging to use “every tool in the toolbox” to “protect” residents in Massachusetts. However, last month, she walked back her stance slightly, insisting that Massachusetts is not a sanctuary state despite a 2017 ruling by the state Supreme Judicial Court that significantly limits law enforcement cooperation with ICE.
“I still remain opposed on efforts to target large swaths of an undocumented population who’ve done nothing wrong other than they’re here without lawful presence,” Healey said.
In recent months, Healey has taken a more centrist position on immigration enforcement. After an illegal immigrant was caught exploiting the state’s migrant shelter system for illegal activity, she expressed frustration and ordered a full review of the system. She also sent a letter to Massachusetts legislative leaders urging changes to the state’s “right to shelter” laws to exclude illegal immigrants. At the time, she acknowledged Trump’s role in border enforcement, stating, “I hope he does.”
Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell, however, remains firmly opposed to the Trump administration’s immigration policies. She has repeatedly spoken out against increased enforcement efforts, writing on X, “State & local law enforcement cannot be commandeered for federal immigration enforcement. Despite what President Trump may think, he doesn’t have the authority to unilaterally rewrite our Constitution.”
The case highlights the ongoing tension between federal immigration authorities and local officials in Massachusetts, as well as the broader national debate over illegal immigration enforcement.
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