An illegal immigrant from Brazil with a lengthy criminal history, and who has been released three times by Massachusetts officials, has been arrested by federal immigration authorities in Taunton.

ICE Boston tells the Herald that Heriton Da Silva Aredes, of Brazil, was apprehended by agents in Taunton during targeted operations on August 6.

Aredes’ capture came just over a week after he was released by the Bristol County Sheriff’s Office, who also ignored an ICE detainer request for him, as he faces vehicular homicide charges.

That’s just one of three times, ICE says, that local or state authorities in Massachusetts released Aredes in order to avoid apprehension by ICE.

“Sadly, it appears as though Bristol County Sheriff Paul Heroux followed through on his promise to not cooperate with ICE, resulting in the release of this habitual criminal illegal alien offender, who is currently charged with vehicular homicide, back into his constituents’ community. In fact, on three separate occasions, this criminal illegal alien was in the custody of state or local authorities, and they released him without honoring our detainer,” Acting ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Boston Field Office Director David Wesling told the Herald.

“Had any of the prior detainers been honored, lives would have been saved. While sanctuary politicians sign performative legislation to protect habitual criminal offenders like Aredes, ERO Boston will continue to prioritize the law-abiding citizens of our communities,” he said.

Bristol Sheriff Paul Heroux had launched a media blitz against ICE and DHS earlier this summer, telling several outlets that he will not honor ICE detainers because it’s a violation of Massachusetts law.

“This is another example of how ICE Boston wants me to break state law, period. State law. says that if someone posts bail, regardless of their immigration status or whether they are a citizen or not, we have to let that person go. Period, full stop,” Heroux told the Herald over the phone Wednesday.

“That is the Lund decision which ICE knows about. We are not allowed to hold somebody after they post bail. And what ICE is asking me to do is break state law, and I’m not going to do that,” he said.

Heroux went as far as saying he wouldn’t even inform ICE when dangerous criminal illegal immigrants were being released from his custody – something local and state law enforcement are not bound by under state law.

“I’m not going to voluntarily participate in anything to do with ICE because they have proven to be a bad law enforcement partner,” he continued, honing back to a lawsuit against the Bristol Sheriff’s Office stemming from a 2020 riot involving ICE detainees held at the Dartmouth facility under a former 287(g) agreement.

Heroux says when his facility was being sued, DHS and ICE “abandoned” them after the two agencies had been in a lengthy partnership. The suit eventually led to a settlement in 2025.

Asked if the lack of cooperation with ICE is worth the risk of allowing a potentially dangerous illegal immigrant to walk free, Heroux pointed to the Trump administration and the January 6, 2020 riot at the U.S. Capitol building.

“If somebody really wants to play like that, if they really like, you know, if they want to get political about that, what about the 1,600 ‘January 6ers’ who Trump pardoned? Many of them who went out and did subsequent crimes. But I don’t hear anybody who is pro-ICE and criticizing me that’s criticizing Trump,” Heroux said.

“Come on, at least be consistent. If you’re going to criticize me, fine, I’ll take it. But you better damn well criticize Trump as well because Trump released a lot of ‘J-6ers,’” he said.

ICE says Aredes was released after posting bail on July 25 following his arraignment on charges of motor vehicle homicide by negligent operation. He was released from the Bristol House of Corrections without his immigration detainer request being honored or ICE being notified.

Aredes was also released in August 2023 after he was arrested by Massachusetts State Police in Middleboro, something ICE says first put him on the federal agency’s radar.

He was released again, before ICE could act, by the Stoughton Police Department following another arrest.

DHS says Aredes was previously removed from the U.S. on October 14, 2008, pursuant to a final removal from June 2008. He illegally reentered the country on an unknown date and at an unknown location.

In addition to his pending vehicular homicide charges, Aredes has a lengthy criminal rap sheet that includes past convictions for assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, assault and battery, using a motor vehicle without authority, refusal to identify himself while operating a vehicle, furnishing a false name, operating recklessly and refusing identification.

“DHS’ message is clear: If you come to our country illegally and break our laws, we will find you, arrest you, and you will never return. Under President Trump and Secretary Mullin, criminal illegal aliens are not welcome in the United States,” the Department of Homeland Security said.

The apprehension of Aredes came just one day after Gov. Maura Healey signed the Protect Act into law – which heavily limits ICE capabilities and operations by prohibiting civil immigration arrests at Massachusetts courthouses and other state-owned buildings, among other measures.