A migrant who took a plea deal after raping a woman in a Brooklyn migrant shelter and is now accused of raping another woman under the Coney Island boardwalk was released into the United States through President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris’s parole program. This migrant, Daniel Davon-Bonilla, faced no consequences after failing to check in with federal agents following his release at the border.
However, federal data indicates that thousands of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) beds were available when Davon-Bonilla crossed the border. Upon release, Davon-Bonilla told CBP agents he would regularly check in with ICE from Miami, Florida, where he planned to relocate. Instead, he went directly to New York City, a sanctuary city that does not cooperate with ICE.
Less than a month after his release, Davon-Bonilla stopped checking in with ICE after initially missing weekly appointments. Despite this noncompliance, he faced no repercussions for failing to report to ICE agents.
Experts have told Breitbart News that many migrants released into the U.S. are not required to physically check in with ICE agents. Internal records suggest that migrants are more likely to comply with release terms when they have direct, in-person contact with ICE agents and contractors.
A few months after arriving in New York City, Davon-Bonilla allegedly raped a transgender individual at a taxpayer-funded Brooklyn migrant shelter. In June, he pleaded guilty to the crime and was released from Rikers Island the same day. Due to New York City's sanctuary policies, Davon-Bonilla was not handed over to ICE.
On August 9, Davon-Bonilla missed a court hearing in Brooklyn for his sentencing. Two days later, the New York City Police Department (NYPD) arrested him for allegedly raping a homeless woman at knifepoint under the Coney Island boardwalk, with the help of another migrant.
Experts say that cases like Davon-Bonilla's are preventable but may become more common if the Biden-Harris administration continues with plans to reduce in-person check-ins for migrants released into the U.S. Critics call this pilot program a "ghost mode operation," allowing migrants to check in with ICE using a phone or computer without face-to-face contact, and currently, there are no penalties for failing to do so.
A major flaw in the program is that ICE agents cannot access GPS data from computer check-ins, and even when GPS data is collected, it is only stored for a week. Davon-Bonilla is now back at Rikers Island, awaiting trial for the Coney Island rape case. ICE agents are closely monitoring the case to ensure they can detain Davon-Bonilla if he is released again by New York City officials.