ICE Rips Portsmouth, RI PD Over Allegedly Ignoring Detainer on Illegal Accused of Pedophilia
“Josue Santiago Perez-Gomez stands accused of some disgusting and disturbing crimes and represents a clear threat to the children of our Rhode Island communities. Releasing an alleged child sex offender the very day of his arrest begs the question, what is the point of arresting him at all?”
Blue cities have become notorious for ignoring ICE detainers on violent criminal illegal immigrants and, in the process, allowing them back onto the streets, with the Boston area among the worst in the country for lack of cooperation between local law enforcement and immigration enforcement agencies – a standoff encouraged by and participated in by anti-ICE obstructionists on the left including Mayor Michelle Wu (D).
Across the border, Rhode Island, which the Trump DOJ has identified as a sanctuary state on its radar, has been the scene of numerous immigration sweeps since President Donald Trump took office for his second term.
Their presence in cities like Providence and the removal flights taking off from Portsmouth have led to outrage and “Nazi Gestapo!” accusations among local Democrat officials and far-left woketivists, the latter of whom have staged street protests, and set up tip lines and stakeouts where they locate ICE vehicles and allegedly give them no choice but to leave:
Demonstrators hold a protest against ICE on the Rhode Island Hospital campus.https://t.co/SmWV3BFT6Q pic.twitter.com/9aJGUMXj5e
— NBC 10 WJAR (@NBC10) April 24, 2025
✊🏽In Rhode Island, community members successfully chased out ICE!
Thanks to more than 100 volunteers, a call to the deportation defense line resulted in a fleet of ICE cars being chased out of the Central Falls neighborhood.
The people united will defend immigrant families! pic.twitter.com/OUvQM0q9v8
— Party for Socialism and Liberation (@pslnational) July 28, 2025
Some business owners have even gone so far as to set their establishments up as “immigrant defense zones“:
More than two dozen businesses in Rhode Island are part of a new network of “immigrant defense zones,” where doors will be closed to federal immigration agents.
Kate Hao, an organizer with the Rhode Island Deportation Defense Coalition, spoke to reporters about the new initiative in front of Crown Fried Chicken in Providence last month.
As of July 18, 25 businesses had pledged to “pledged to protect immigrant community members, including by closing their doors and refusing entry to immigration officials who do not have a judicial warrant,” Hao said.
More than two dozen businesses in Rhode Island are part of a new network of “immigrant defense zones,” where doors will be closed to federal immigration agents.https://t.co/bWYIS1ZzAO pic.twitter.com/4oEnSPtT4O
— Boston.com (@BostonDotCom) August 5, 2025
The types of people these wacktivists apparently are trying to protect include Josue Santiago Perez-Gomez, an illegal immigrant from Guatemala who is accused of pedophilia and who was arrested by the Portsmouth, RI, police department last month.
According to ICE New England, however, Perez-Gomez was released the same day, which prompted ICE to take him into custody themselves:
ICE New England administratively arrested an illegally present Guatemalan national who had recently been charged and released on bond in the State of Rhode Island for allegedly engaging a minor for the purpose of sex.
Josue Santiago Perez Gomez, 29, was taken into ICE custody on July 12, one day after he was arrested by local authorities in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, on charges of patronizing a minor for commercial sex, indecent solicitation of a child, and procurement of sexual conduct for a fee.
“This individual’s administrative arrest underscores HSI New England’s commitment to targeted enforcement that works to identify individuals seeking to cause harm to our communities, including and especially children,” said HSI New England Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol. “HSI will continue to work with our partners to enforce laws that uphold national security and the safety and wellbeing of our neighborhoods.”
Fox News national correspondent Bill Melugin reported Saturday that ICE has now accused the Portsmouth PD of ignoring an immigration detainer they had placed on Perez-Gomez by releasing him the day of his arrest, which potentially put the community in danger from the alleged sexual predator once again:
ICE says Josue Santiago Perez-Gomez entered the U.S. illegally as a gotaway at an unknown time & location and had been arrested by Portsmouth PD for patronizing a minor for commercial sexual activity, indecent solicitation of a child, and procurement of sexual conduct for a fee, but released him from custody the same day and ignored the ICE detainer. ICE Boston’s Providence, RI field office then found and arrested him.
Statement to @FoxNews via ICE Boston Field Office Director Patricia Hyde:
“Josue Santiago Perez-Gomez stands accused of some disgusting and disturbing crimes and represents a clear threat to the children of our Rhode Island communities. Releasing an alleged child sex offender the very day of his arrest begs the question, what is the point of arresting him at all? Luckily, the brave men and women of ICE were able to remove this criminal alien pedophile from our streets where local authorities allowed him to potentially reoffend.”
NEW: ICE is calling out police in Portsmouth, RI after they say Portsmouth PD ignored ICE’s detainer and released a Guatemalan illegal alien alleged pedophile into the community after he had been arrested for felony sex crimes against a Rhode Island child. ICE found & arrested… pic.twitter.com/7Z0nZ6RjrU
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) August 9, 2025
Understandably, Rhode Island residents like Prof. Jacobson want answers:
Is this true @PortsmouthPDRI? "Portsmouth PD ignored ICE’s detainer and released a Guatemalan illegal alien alleged pedophile into the community after he had been arrested for felony sex crimes against a Rhode Island child." What is going on in RI? @RIStatePolice @GovDanMcKee https://t.co/T9iqmig9Cb
— William A. Jacobson (@wajacobson) August 9, 2025
This state can't get worse, can it? @GovDanMcKee https://t.co/DqvFwMSCRt
— Jody Baldwin Stone (@TheStonesEG) August 10, 2025
As do others:
Just Curious @GovDanMcKee
How does allowing a criminal illegal pedophile back onto the streets of tiny Rhode Island make it more healthy? https://t.co/25oXUXgNtM pic.twitter.com/mc7FnncHNS— Tom T. ن 🇺🇸 (@VRWCTexan) August 9, 2025
Florida’s AG, James Uthmeier, who was instrumental in the creation of Alligator Alcatraz, also weighed in:
I’m challenging leftist politicians to start caring more about Americans than they do about someone like this pedophile illegal alien. https://t.co/vWSy3JzTpM
— Attorney General James Uthmeier (@AGJamesUthmeier) August 9, 2025
There was also this suggestion:
@DHSgov ought to buy billboards in these sanctuary cities showing examples of these criminals that their own city government just released back into the streets instead of having them deported.
— Jake Avra (@jakeavra) August 9, 2025
They should still be deported, but the billboard is not a bad idea at all.
– Stacey Matthews has also written under the pseudonym “Sister Toldjah” and can be reached via X. –
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Comments
The left went from being lenient on criminals to outright support of criminals
We should not be deporting illegal alien criminals until they have been tried, convicted and serve their criminal sentence. Upon being scheduled for release from prison, then ICE should step in and process deportations. If deported before trial, ICE gives these criminals a get out of jail free card and a free trip home after a vacation in the USA. So lock em up first. Jail time first. Reentry after deportation is I believe a five year felony. Why are these not being prosecuted? We read about these aliens being deported after multiple reentries. Lets see some jail time before deportations rather than political posturing.
Why the hell is the D party full of perverts, trannies, and pedos – and why do they constantly defend the same rather than put the interests of US citizens first?
I answered all these questions to my own satisfaction several months ago when I had the epiphany that if you look at the Democrat Party as the national lobby for organized and unorganized criminals and grifters (or perhaps their trade union) instead of a classical “political party,” all this behavior makes perfect sense.
good parents dont vote dem
Here’s an idea. Instead of locking up and deporting these criminals, release them on the streets of Rhode Island and other sanctuary venues. Like Martha’s Vineyard, it won’t take long for these smug, sanctimonious trolls to decide that defending criminals was not such a good idea after all.
In 2022 Florida governor Ron DeSantis flew 50 illegals to Martha’s Vineyard. Whoosh! They had them out there before their feet touched the ground. Ross Perot said you could hear the sucking sound all the way down in Texas.
History in places like Chicago, St. Louis, San Francisco, Compton, and LA would suggest your prediction of the eventual result is faulty.
I have to agree. Start shipping all illegals to sanctuary states and cities. They want them. They can have them. Augment that with billboards. If the voters ever wake up they might make some changes. Probably not though.
Since the feds control the airports and interstate commerce forbid sanctuaries from shipping the illegals out,
Billboard:
I HERD U LIEK ILEGALS, SO WE PUT SUM ILEGALS IN YO ILEGALS SO U KIN LIEK WHILE YOU LIEK
Since the illegal aliens would be in custody under the control of ICE or ICE friendly jurisdictions how about detaining them until deportation instead of adding to the population of Blue States? Sure make it too hot for illegal aliens in Red States so that they self deport back home or to some Blue State but don’t release them once in custody.
I have nothing against the local merchants and blue collar just-plain-folk of Martha’s Vineyard, nor against the local Indians (feather, not dot) who are NOT rich or well connected. So, I’d not wish such a thing on them.
Josue Santiago Perez-Gomez is a nasty lil buggar.
Look at Governor Dan McKee. Of course he wants a known pedophile on the streets of RI.
He looks like he enjoys Sx with children. He looks like he would be more comfortable having a child in his arms, male or female, to feel the soft and tender unblemished skin of someone who hasn’t been deflowered.
Also, the police of Portsmouth RI are comfortable with having child predators in the streets. They are comfortable with Minor Attracted Persons. It makes it easier for them to not have to protect school children from predators, to turn a blind eye to teachers and administrators of schools who aren’t protecting the children.
Of course the voters of RI are comfortable in having illegal rapists roaming their streets.
All of the residents of Rhode Island share in this disgusting moment in time. Why aren’t there protestors in the streets burning buildings and destroying business that support these illegals. What aren’t the homes of judges, police officials, and elected masters being protested?
Because all of RI is complicit in their silence and acceptance.
I grew up in RI. The brass ring there was “get a secure government job and a good pension.” The ethos was that it was the government’s job to provide for everybody, “you gotta know someone,” “there oughta be a law,” and so on. The alternative was making jewelry in the Coro factory, nasty but capitalist. It took me years to shake off that conditioning.
Given the nature of the charges against this guy (Josue Santiago Perez-Gomez), you have to consider the possibility that he was released BECAUSE of the ICE detainer, not in spite of it.
Unless someone can show evidence that non-illegal aliens facing similar charges are usually released immediately?
Rhode Island is a hard-core Leftist Democrat state. It is Democrat theology to support hostile foreign invaders of this country, to support child molesters, and to oppose any lawful court orders to restrict, punish, or remove them. It is a matter of their religious freedom. And don’t laugh, because that may well come up in a court argument soon.
Subotai Bahadur
RI has the distinction of being the most heavily RC state in the country for over a century at least. Between 1900 and 1970 or so, the percentage was over 50%, whereas now it’s more like 40% (which is still pretty dense).
I’m not too alert today; forgive me. “RC”? What is that?
Roman Catholic.
The billboards are a good idea for PR purposes as is the barrage on X. I suspect there’s a number of folks who don’t realize just what ‘resistance to ICE’ shapes up to be in the real world v theory. That said the federal funding for LEO grants in these jurisdictions should be converted to fund work place immigration enforcement. Create a TF with ICE, IRS, SSA to review employment records and determine if I-9 forms, identity checks and tax information submitted to Fed Govt was accurate. While on site check everybody’s ID and run a quick check for warrants. Refer potential State tax violations to the State. Heck, we may as well check to see if these folks are illegally registered to vote or have illegally voted in Federal elections while we’re at it.
Any local police department that ignores Federal detainers should lose all access to Federal funding and support services. Such loss of access to continue until the command structure of the department is replaced.
taking away all the federally funded “big boy toys” would rattle them a bit
“Vote Dhimmi-crat in 2026; support the party that cares more about the well-being of illegal aliens and other criminals, than that of law-abiding citizens.”