Peruvian gang leader re-arrested in U.S. after release

Police in New York arrested Peruvian native Gianfranco Torres-Navarro on Wednesday nearly three months after initially detaining him at the U.S. southern border, the Associated Press reported. The leader of the “Los Killers de Ventanilla y Callao” gang, Torres-Navarro was suspected of killing 23 people in Peru. On May 16, he illegally entered the United States, was arrested, and was released, authorities said. Torres-Navarro posed a clear threat to American citizens, ICE’s director of enforcement removal operations in Buffalo, N.Y., Thomas Brophy said.

Why did authorities allow him into the country at all? Federal agents initially detained Torres-Navarro in May at the southern border before releasing him with an order to appear at an immigration court later. Agents didn’t discover that he was wanted by authorities in Peru until July 8, AP reported, citing ICE. It should alarm every American that someone like Torres-Navarro could enter the United States so easily, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said Thursday.

Dig deeper: Read Addie Offereins’ report in WORLD Magazine about how an influx of immigrants helps cut federal debt.