Machete-wielding homeless man arrested at Capitol is Venezuelan illegal immigrant released by Biden into US in 2022

Jose Leonardo Marquez-Marquez, 23, was taken into custody after he was caught with a machete, a butcher’s knife and a brick at the US Capitol, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (CE) reports. He was booked on Dec. 27 by deportation officers from the ERO (Enforcement and Removal Operations) Washington, DC field office after being arrested by US Capitol Police on Dec. 26.

“Jose Leonardo Marquez-Marquez posed a significant threat to people in and around the US Capitol,” commented ERO Washington, DC acting Field Office Director Patrick Divver. “Thanks to our law enforcement partners at the US Capitol Police, this threat was mitigated quickly. Fortunately, Marquez is currently in ERO custody and will face removal proceedings.”

ICE says that Marquez is currently being held by ICE ERO Washington, DC.

Marquez was first confronted by the Border Patrol in El Paso, Texas on Aug. 21, 2022, reports the Washington Times. He was processed and promptly released by agents the next day, with the given reason being “a lack of detention space.”

He checked in with deportation officers in the District of Columbia area on Oct. 5, according to ICE, and it is unclear what he did in the year between he two dates. He was later given an official immigration court summons.

Marquez has been charged with possessing a prohibited weapon and carrying a dangerous weapon.

This comes as the month of December set the record for the most illegal immigrant crossings at the southern border of all time, with Customs and Border Patrol agents reporting that over 276,000 illegal immigrants crossed the US-Mexico border before the end of that month. This beat the previous record of September 2023, during which an estimated 269,735 came through. Over 7 million illegal immigrants have come into the US since Biden first assumed office.