A former reality TV contestant and professional dancer has been detained by immigration officials after racking up arrests and overstaying his visa for 14 years, federal authorities said.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested Roberts Nemiro, from Latvia, on July 28 in San Francisco after a referral by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Nemiro was previously a contestant on the Latvian equivalent of “Dancing With the Stars.” He has a criminal history that includes sexual battery, aggravated assault and drug possession, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said.
DEGENERATE DANCER DETAINED: this illegal alien from Latvia once had a career as a professional dancer on TV, but has turned into a CAREER CRIMINAL.
Roberts Nemiro, from Latvia, was previously a contestant on the Latvian equivalent of “Dancing with the Stars.” But since being in… https://t.co/EzXjdODdX7 pic.twitter.com/Acgrwd8tLT
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) August 1, 2026
Nemiro’s arrest shines a spotlight on the vast array of illegal immigrants accused or convicted of violent crimes hiding in sanctuary California, as well as the problematic category of visa overstays.
These immigration offenders come to the country legally on a temporary basis but remain illegally without consequences.
Nemiro entered the United States on a visa in October 2011. He remained in the country illegally after it expired in August 2012. ICE has initiated removal proceedings, DHS said.
Federal authorities also used his case to highlight California’s sanctuary policies that allow criminals to fly under the radar. In a recent news release, the agency listed several recent cases involving illegal immigrants arrested or wanted by ICE in California.
“Despite California being a sanctuary state, ICE was able to arrest this criminal in San Francisco and is bringing the curtain down on his illegal stay and crime spree in our nation,” DHS shared on X announcing his arrest.
According to DHS, the former dancing pro traded his dancing shoes for a life of crime in the United States. He has convictions for aggravated assault of non-family with a gun and disorderly conduct.
He was also arrested for battery, sexual battery, possession of controlled substance and possession of paraphernalia, DHS said.
Nemiro was previously a contestant on “Dejo ar zvaigzni!”, the Latvian version of the British TV series “Strictly Come Dancing,” also known as “Dancing With the Stars.”
Despite Nemiro’s former notoriety, his case goes to show federal authorities don’t discriminate when it comes to arresting and removing illegal immigrants, according to DHS.
In April 2026, ICE detained Hamideh Soleimani Afshar, the niece of slain Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, and her daughter, Sarinasadat Hosseiny, in Los Angeles after Secretary of State Marco Rubio revoked their green cards over social media posts supporting the Iranian regime.
The LA socialites presented a carefully curated lifestyle that included designer outfits, flashy cars and jet-setting destinations on social media, the New York Post reported.
In August 2025, TikToker Tatiana Martinez, 24, was arrested by federal agents while live streaming to thousands in downtown Los Angeles, ABC7 Eyewitness News reported.
According to DHS, Martinez is an illegal immigrant from Colombia who was convicted for driving under the influence in Los Angeles. She entered the country in 2022 and was released by the Biden administration.
The Trump administration frequently criticizes Gov. Gavin Newsom for blocking federal immigration enforcement with frivolous lawsuits and sanctuary laws.
Under Newsom, California has become a hotbed of illegal immigrant crime, DHS officials said. Some of the more disturbing cases include:
- Gokhan Bagci, from Turkey, who faces charges for sexually assaulting a 6-year-old girl at a daycare in Sacramento, Calif.
- Joaquin Escoto Vazquez, from Mexico, who was arrested for fatally stabbing two women and a baby in Modesto, Calif.
- Manvir Singh, from India, who was arrested for causing a semi-truck crash that killed two people near Lodi, Calif.
- Aman Kumar, from India, who had been released by sanctuary politicians in California after causing a hit-and-run accident that injured a 4-year-old boy in Fresno, Calif.
- Wilfredo Jose Tortolero-Arriechi, from Venezuela, who is accused of fatally stabbing a social worker in a hospital in San Francisco.
- David Antonio Aviles Perez, from El Salvador, is a suspected MS-13 member who was arrested by ICE in San Diego. He had an international warrant for aggravated murder and was arrested in California for assault with a deadly weapon, possession of a controlled substance and petty theft.
