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A Cuban citizen residing in Miami was arrested by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after being identified as the perpetrator of multiple sexual offenses against minors.
It concerns Gaspar Minardo Velázquez Ávila, 64 years old, who has a history of lewd and obscene conduct against minors, according to information released this Tuesday by the authorities of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
According to the official statement, Velázquez Ávila was captured in Miami-Dade County and his charges include sexual assaults on minors under 12 by an adult over 18, as well as other lewd acts.
The arrest was highlighted by ICE Miami as part of an operation to remove the "worst of the worst" from the streets, under what they defined as a "zero tolerance" policy towards dangerous criminals, particularly those with a history of sexual offenses.
The public database of sexual offenders in Florida lists Velázquez Ávila as a registered sex offender, residing in southwest Miami. Local authorities have warned the community about his dangerousness and emphasize the importance of reporting any suspicious activity related to these types of crimes.
In the past few weeks, federal authorities have intensified immigration raids and arrested several citizens, including Cubans with criminal backgrounds, such as Roberto Mosquera-Del Peral, 58, who was detained in Miami on June 16.
Mosquera had convictions for homicide and aggravated assault on a police officer. His potential deportation is being evaluated by ICE.
On June 17, Pedro Pérez Barrera, a 73-year-old Cuban, was arrested for sexual assault against a 12-year-old minor. The man had a final deportation order and was classified as a "serious felony offender."
More recently, on June 23, ICE announced the arrest of Joan Gil in Phoenix, Arizona. He had been subject to a deportation order since 2014 after being convicted of methamphetamine trafficking. The official message that accompanied his arrest —“Self-deport before we find you, and we will find you”— sparked a wave of criticism for its threatening tone.
Additionally, on Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court authorized President Donald Trump to resume deportations to third countries, without requiring migrants to provide evidence of the risks they would face in those destinations.
The ruling, approved by a conservative majority (6-3), overturns a previous court order that protected migrants from potential deportations to countries where they could face torture or death. The decision has already been applied in recent cases that included nationals from Cuba, Myanmar, and Mexico, deported to South Sudan.
The liberal justices of the Supreme Court denounced the measure as a "reward for illegal actions," warning that it opens the door to deportations without notice or minimum guarantees.
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