The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement Service (ICE) detained Roberts Nemiro, originally from Latvia, in San Francisco, California, who had remained in United States territory longer than allowed by his visa.
At the time, the professional dancer even competed in the television program “Dejo ar Zvaigzni!”, the Latvian version of the reality show “Dancing with the Stars.”
His arrest occurred following a complaint received by the Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
According to a statement issued by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Nemiro had several police records, including aggravated assault on a person outside the family with a firearm, sexual assault and drug-related crimes.
By cross-checking his immigration information, US authorities detected that the Latvian entered the country in October 2011 and, even though his visa expired in August 2012, he chose to stay.
Through a statement issued by the DHS, Roberts Nemiro faces deportation proceedings while being temporarily held in an ICE detention center located in Bakersfield and it is only a matter of time before he returns to his nation of origin.
“This illegal immigrant from Latvia may have once had a career as a professional dancer on television, but he has become a habitual criminal with a criminal history that includes aggravated assault with a firearm, sexual assault and drug possession.
Even though California is a sanctuary state, ICE managed to arrest this criminal and get him off our streets, and he will soon be deported from our country.
ICE is ending their illegal stay and crime spree here in the US,” said DHS Deputy Secretary Lauren Bis.
A woman who says her name is Lydia and is the romantic partner of the detained Latvian, set up a page on GoFundMe, a collective financing platform, with the aim of raising funds to support her legal defense trying to obtain his release.
“On July 28, Roberts and I attended our scheduled USCIS interview for his marriage green card application with our immigration attorney.
At the conclusion of the interview, ICE agents detained Roberts for having stayed in the country longer than his visa allowed.
We have tried very hard to do everything correctly and we never imagined that attending a mandatory immigration interview would end with the separation of our family,” he details in the account review where he appeals to the solidarity of American citizens.
