U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has removed Ruben Alonso Hernandez-Lainez, a 29-year-old Salvadoran national, from Maryland after his conviction for second-degree assault and second-degree rape in Frederick County. The removal took place on January 30, with support from the Frederick County Adult Detention Center.
ICE Deputy Director Charles Wall stated, “ICE could only arrest and remove this criminal illegal alien thanks to our 287(g) partnership with Frederick County. It’s profoundly disappointing that since then, the Maryland legislature is trying to undermine this critical law enforcement relationship between state and local police and ICE. These partnerships keep rapists and public safety threats like Hernandez out of our communities.”
Hernandez entered the United States illegally in 2021 at an unknown location. In May 2022, he was encountered by Border Patrol near Hidalgo, Texas, but was released into the country under federal policies at that time. He was later arrested by Frederick Police Department in May 2023 on charges of rape and assault.
In February 2025, Hernandez was convicted and sentenced to three years and four months in prison; all but 18 months of his sentence were suspended. He was also placed on five years of supervised probation.
On January 20, 2026, an immigration judge issued a final order for his removal. Ten days later, ICE carried out the deportation.
Frederick County Sheriff Chuck Jenkins commented on the case: “The Frederick County Sheriff’s Office 287(g) partnership in the adult detention center has once again kept a convicted rapist and violent criminal from being released back into the community to reoffend and victimize more people. This demonstrates the real public safety value of the 287(g) program. After 18 years of success, this very effective partnership will be ended because of legislation passed in Maryland. Violent criminals like Hernandez will now be released and ICE will be forced to make apprehensions on the street rather a safe custody transfer in the jail. ICE agents have an enforcement mission. This will quickly prove to be disastrous legislation, and Marylanders will be at risk more than ever before.”
The public can report crimes or suspicious activity related to immigration enforcement by calling 866-DHS-2-ICE or using ICE’s online tip form.
For updates about ICE’s public safety efforts, information is available via their X account @ICEgov.
