ICE lodges detainer for illegal immigrant charged with rape of 14-year-old autistic girl in California

According to DHS, Vasquez is accused of coercing the victim into his home on New Year’s Eve and sexually assaulting her. The Cathedral City Police Department arrested Vasquez after investigating the reported attack, DHS said. The victim’s name has not been released.

DHS alleged that the girl was approached while walking and was later taken to Vasquez’s apartment, where the assault occurred. The agency said a medical examination supported the allegation, and investigators recovered evidence from the residence, including blood on bedsheets and a pair of the girl’s boots in a closet. Authorities found a Social Security card and a Federal Permanent Resident card in his wallet while trying to confirm his identity. According to a bail affidavit, "The documents in his possession were determined to be fraudulent.'' The Social Security card belonged to a Texas resident and had been issued years before the defendant's birth. Both documents had been "fraudulently obtained for immigration purposes.''

In a statement included in the DHS release, Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) lodged an immigration detainer with local authorities to prevent Vasquez from being released. McLaughlin also criticized California’s sanctuary policies and questioned whether the state would cooperate with federal immigration authorities.

Local police also reported that Vasquez was found with allegedly fraudulent immigration-related documents, including a Social Security card and a Permanent Resident card. DHS said Vasquez had previously been encountered by US Border Patrol on December 16, 2024, and that he had a final order of removal dated the same day. The agency stated he was removed from the United States, later re-entered unlawfully, and was released on January 2, 2025.

Vasquez faces charges that include lewd or lascivious acts with a minor and rape.