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The man suspected in a murder in Troy, New York, is in the country illegally, according to the county executive who blamed the federal government’s lax immigration policies and “sanctuary cities” for allowing him in the country.
Carlos E. Corrales-Ramirez, 20, was arrested on Sunday in connection with the stabbing death a day earlier.
Rensselaer County Executive Steven F. McLaughlin said on X, formerly Twitter, that the man “was in [the] country illegally” and had even been implicated in an earlier stabbing in Maryland in February.
A man with the same name and age was charged with assault and reckless endangerment after a 23-year-old man was stabbed outside a 7-Eleven in Laurel. He was caught by the Border Patrol and New York State Police in March.
At that time, the Border Patrol said the man was being prepared for extradition to face the charges, but Maryland court records show he still has an active warrant.
Given that history, Mr. McLaughlin, the Rennselaer County executive, said authorities need to explain why the suspect was free in the community.
He said the case “shows [the] failure of open borders, sanctuary cities and migrant policies.”
“The end result of that foolishness and lack of common sense is a killing on Saturday in the biggest city in our county allegedly by a man who was not supposed to be in our country and additionally, not free on the streets,” Mr. McLaughlin said.
He specifically blamed President Biden and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, who have been engaged in a back-and-forth over the surge of illegal immigrants, though with a focus on how to welcome and pay for their care, rather than on how to deter them or oust them faster.
Authorities have released few details about the stabbing in Troy other than that the victim was 28-year-old Jario J. Hernandez-Sanchez. Police said the investigation continues as they look for a motive.
Troy was also the scene this summer of the arrest of a man accused of raping a 13-year-old girl, after ICE failed to deport him despite a lengthy criminal history.
Ransford Perry came legally from Jamaica and became a lawful permanent resident in 1996, and served as a child advocate and worked as a Walmart Santa Claus — and, according to a local newspaper, used his access to children to pressure one boy for sex.
He was convicted of child endangerment in 2007.
Mr. Perry was arrested again in 2017 and charged with forcible touching of a child.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement could have removed him for that criminal record.
He now stands charged with first- and second-degree rape, first-degree sexual abuse and aggravated sexual abuse and child endangerment after an encounter with a 13-year-old girl at his apartment on Feb. 24.
• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.
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