Massachusetts Democratic Governor Maura Healey was surprised to learn her open border policies were backfiring after an illegal immigrant was caught using government provided shelter to conduct criminal activity.
Leonardo Andujar Sanchez, a native of the Dominican Republic, was allegedly caught with ammunition, an AR-15 rifle, large-capacity magazines, fentanyl, and cocaine with an estimated street value of nearly $1 million.
“It’s outrageous that this individual took advantage of our shelter system to engage in criminal activity,” Massachusetts Democratic Gov. Maura Healey said in response.
Fox News reports that Sanchez is facing firearm and drug trafficking charges while using the state’s shelter system. The suspect, 28, was found at a Quality Inn being used for a migrant shelter in Revere, Massachusetts.
Sanchez is reportedly being held without bail due to a Chelsea District Court judge deeming the suspect dangerous. Another local outlet reported Sanchez entered the U.S. illegally last year and acquired an ID from the New York shelter system.
Healey, who has pledged to fight the Trump administration deportation efforts, has ordered shelter inspections after the incident. “I’ve ordered an inspection of all shelter units, beginning with the Revere site, and a full review of our intake processes to determine any additional steps that we can take to prevent criminal activity in shelters,” Healey said. “This further underscores our broken federal immigration system and the urgent need for Congress and the White House to act on a border security bill to prevent criminals from entering our communities.”
“The people of Massachusetts should not continue to have to deal with the impacts of federal inaction,” she added. However, Healey said on MSNBC in November that her state police would “absolutely not” be cooperating with the expected mass deportation effort by the incoming Trump administration and warned that she will use “every tool in the toolbox” to “protect our citizens.”
