Caribbean National Is US ICE’s 400th Foreign Fugitive Arrest

By NAN Staff Writer

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Tues. July 25, 2017: A 43-year-old Caribbean national has become the 400th foreign fugitive arrest of the US Immigration & Customs Enforcement (US ICE) agency this fiscal year.

Dominican Republic national Rafael Alberto-Burgos, 43, was  wanted by Spanish authorities for homicide. Alberto-Burgos is suspected to have participated in the 1997 murder of his ex-girlfriend, whose remains were found on a Barcelona highway.

Alberto-Burgos was admitted to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program in 1997 and remained in the United States beyond his authorized period of admission.  In 2000, Spanish authorities issued an arrest warrant for Alberto-Burgos, and in 2015, the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) issued a Red Notice for his arrest on behalf of Spain.

On February 2, 2017, INTERPOL Washington and the ERO National Fugitive Operations Program determined that Alberto-Burgos may be residing in the New York City area and was a positive match to an INTERPOL Red Notice as a fugitive wanted in Spain for homicide.

On June 8, 2017, ERO New York arrested Alberto-Burgos without incident outside his place of employment in Manhattan, ending his more than ten-year run from authorities, and he was issued a Visa Waiver Program administrative removal order. ERO removed Alberto-Burgos from the United States and turned him over to Spanish authorities on July 11, 2017.  In addition to multiple U.S. Government partnerships, the collaboration of the Spanish National Police in Barcelona and the Ministry of Interior at the Embassy of Spain in Washington, DC, were critical to effectuating the arrest and removal of Alberto-Burgos.

The majority of this fiscal year’s 400 foreign fugitive arrests took place in New York, New Jersey, California, Florida, Arizona, and Texas.  Most arrests were of violent criminals who had convictions or were otherwise wanted for serious crimes, including homicide (121), sex crimes (35), assault (18), kidnapping (13), and theft (39). Of the 400 arrests, more than 40 were wanted for criminal gang activity.

“ICE works hard every day to protect the American public,” said ERO Executive Associate Director Matthew Albence. “Our mission to remove dangerous fugitive criminals from the United States will never cease.”

Since October 1, 2009, ERO has arrested and removed more than 1,700 foreign fugitives who were sought in their native countries for crimes such as homicide, rape, and kidnapping.