A Dominican man who was deported from the U.S. three times and reentered the country illegally under the Biden administration has been convicted, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced.
Santo Beato Aybar-Aybar, 49, was last deported on September 21, 2021, but reentered the country without being “inspected, admitted, or paroled” by immigration authorities. ICE’s Boston field office arrested him, and he pleaded guilty in June to illegally reentering the U.S.
“Santo Beato Aybar-Aybar repeatedly demonstrated a complete disregard for our immigration laws,” said ICE Boston’s acting Field Office Director Patricia H. Hyde in a statement Sunday. “That disregard ultimately led to his conviction. ICE Boston will not tolerate criminal aliens undermining our laws and threatening our communities.”
Aybar-Aybar now faces up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. He is scheduled to be sentenced on September 11 and will be deported again after serving his prison term, ICE said.
Another Repeat Offender Arrested
ICE Boston also recently secured a conviction against Manuel Ruiz-Luis, a 52-year-old Guatemalan national who had previously been deported twice—in 1996 and 2012. He returned illegally to the U.S., settling in New Bedford, Massachusetts.
According to ICE, Ruiz-Luis has four prior criminal convictions for operating under the influence and driving without a license. He pleaded guilty to illegally reentering the country and is scheduled to be sentenced on September 18. He faces up to two years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and one year of supervised release before being deported again.
“Ruiz-Luis chose to endanger the safety of law-abiding residents by driving under the influence,” Hyde said. “ICE Boston will continue working to protect New England communities by targeting and removing criminal alien offenders.”
Enforcement Tensions in ‘Sanctuary’ State
Massachusetts cities like Boston are considered “sanctuary jurisdictions,” meaning local authorities often limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. ICE Boston, however, remains active in targeting individuals with criminal histories and prior deportations, especially under the Trump administration.
As immigration continues to surge nationally, reports show President Biden has overseen record levels of net migration, adding to pressure on state and federal resources. In Massachusetts, Gov. Maura Healey’s administration has already spent over $830 million in the 2025 fiscal year to support thousands of migrant families with housing, food, education, legal aid, and other services.
ICE officials say they will continue focusing enforcement on individuals with prior convictions and multiple reentries, warning that repeat violators who pose public safety risks remain a top priority.
