EASTON, Pa. — Representatives from federal agencies on Friday arrested another released inmate, alleged to be in the country illegally, as he left Northampton County Prison.
Nine officials appeared in the alley near where inmates who have completed their sentences are released, with the man exiting the building just after 10 a.m.
The agents were from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement; FBI; U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms; and Homeland Security Investigations.
Upon exiting the prison, the man, who has not been identified, was arrested by the agents and escorted to a nearby minivan.Scene at Northampton County Courthouse
Immediately upon exiting a prison door, the man, whose identity has not been released, was arrested by the agents and escorted to a nearby minivan.
Federal officials have said more information about the arrest will be released later Friday.
Friday’s release comes less than a month after suspected Venezuelan gang member Luis Gualdron-Gualdron was let out of Northampton County Prison after completing a prison sentence, then was arrested outside by ICE.
Previously convicted
ICE had said Gualdron-Gualdron entered the country illegally in December 2023.
Bethlehem police arrested him last May and charged him with indecent assault without consent, indecent assault on a person less than 16, and harassment.
He was convicted in Northampton County Court of harassment and sentenced to three to six months in jail.
After Gualdron-Gualdron's arrest by ICE outside the prison on Jan. 31, U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-Lehigh Valley, accused the county and Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure of not cooperating with the federal agency.
Under a county policy McClure instituted five years ago, the county will hold inmates wanted by ICE for 48 hours after a sentence is completed, but will not allow federal agents on county property without a warrant.
ICE agents apparently did not have warrants in either last month's case or in Friday's because the arrests occurred outside.
Mackenzie, who was appointed to the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security, has said the county's refusal to allow agents inside poses a public safety risk to law enforcement and the public.
He called out the county practice on the U.S. House floor last week.
Said ICE in a statement after the Gualdron-Gualdron arrest: “In this instance, ICE was forced to arrest this violent criminal outside the prison after Northampton County released the individual to the street.”
The incident touched off a political back-and-forth between the Lehigh Valley's new congressman and McClure, a Democrat.
McClure responded last week that the county “absolutely did work with ICE” in the Gualdron-Gualdron release. He said the county held Gualdron-Gualdron for 48 hours to allow for the agency to procure a warrant.
'Demonstrates our cooperation'
Regarding Friday’s arrest, McClure said, “Because these are complicated issues, and while we are cooperating with ICE by honoring ICE's detainer, sending ice an email with the date and exact time the inmate is being released, that demonstrates our cooperation and how we are using the detainer.”
But McClure maintained ICE should have gotten a warrant to arrest Gualdron-Gualdron before his release from prison.
“I want all the bad guys deported. If you are undocumented in this country and commit a crime here, I want you deported."Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure
“I want all the bad guys deported," he said. "If you are undocumented in this country and commit a crime here, I want you deported.
"However, the U.S. Constitution requires us, if we're going to turn someone over shackled, to get a piece of paper that's been evaluated by a neutral magistrate, either a federal judge or a federal magistrate."
McClure also suggested ICE had not obtained that warrant in the earlier instance potentially because “they don’t want to implicate all the rights that come with that under the U.S. Constitution, and our point is, the U.S. Constitution protects you from being arrested without due process.”
Mackenzie spokesman Arnaud Armstrong declined to comment to LehighValleyNews.com.
The Morning Call reported the congressman originally planned to be present for the arrest but was unable to attend.
McClure took issue with that.
“Congressman Mackenzie, who should be fighting to protect Medicaid, who should be fighting to protect Medicare, who should be fighting to protect Social Security, is showing up to make a media spectacle of himself," McClure said.
"And again, this just demonstrates his absolute lack of depth and seriousness.”
This is a developing report that will be updated.
