An illegal immigrant was released under Chicago’s “sanctuary city” policy and went on to sexually assault a 3-year-old girl and leave her sobbing for her father in a McDonald’s bathroom, according to the New York Post.
Mexican national Christoper Puente, 34, who allegedly raped a 3-year-old toddler in a bathroom stall nearly two weeks ago, was only in Chicago because cops refused to hold him for US Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials after he was arrested last year, ICE charged in a statement.
He was then arrested last month after luring the toddler to his bathroom stall while her dad helped her brother in the restaurant restroom, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.
“The victim called out ‘Daddy, Daddy,’” Assistant State’s Attorney James Murphy told a bond hearing last month.
Puente confessed, telling cops he was “f–ked up and thinking dirty,” Leighton Criminal Courthouse heard — but seemed stunned when he was held without bail for predatory criminal sexual assault, the paper said.
“You don’t understand. This is my first time,” the hearing-impaired defendant signed rapidly in court, the Sun-Times said.
Puente, who already had a long criminal history which included two felony convictions for forced-entry burglary and forgery, was deported in 2014, but illegally crossed the Texas border just five days later, ICE said last week.
Agents filed a formal request for him to be detained and ultimately deported when he was arrested for theft last June. The “detainer was not honored” leaving him free for his latest attack.
“How many more victims must there be before lawmakers realize that sanctuary policies do not protect the innocent?” asked Robert Guadian, field office director of Chicago enforcement and removal operations. “Puente should have been in ICE custody last year and removed to his home country. Instead, irresponsible lawmaking allowed him to walk free and prey on our most vulnerable.”
Chicago police defended their decision not to cooperate with ICE on immigration-related business, ABC News said.
“The Chicago Police Department remains committed to protecting all Chicago residents regardless of their immigration status,” Chicago police said in a statement. “Our pledge to restrict ICE access to our information systems and our refusal to cooperate with ICE immigration enforcement measures has not changed.”
Mayor Lori Lightfoot said ICE should “do their job better,” ABC said.
“They’re critical because we have said very clearly we are a welcoming city, a sanctuary city,” Lightfoot said, according to the network. “Chicago Police Department will not cooperate with ICE on any immigration-related business.”