Immigration officials want custody of a Venezuelan migrant accused of snatching a 9-year-old girl off her bike and sexually assaulting her if Illinois’ authorities opt to release him.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement lodged a detainer for Janio Gionel Velasquez-Muro, a Venezuelan illegal immigrant, who was arrested on felony charges of kidnapping and sexually assaulting the child in Kane County, Illinois.
Velasquez-Muro illegally entered the United States in California in 2022 and was released by the Biden Administration, the U.S Department of Homeland Security said.
Federal authorities have called on Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Illinois officials to keep him behind bars or “work with ICE to ensure he is never allowed to prey on more innocent children in our country.”
The state’s sanctuary policies allow illegal migrants charged with crimes to be released if they meet bail conditions or aren’t prosecuted rather than coordinating with ICE to transfer them to federal custody.
🚨A BIDEN-RELEASED illegal alien has been charged with kidnapping and sexually assaulting a 9-YEAR-OLD.
Janio Gionel Velasquez-Muro, from Venezuela, grabbed his victim as she was riding her bicycle, shoved her into a car, and sexually assaulted her. He was later arrested by… https://t.co/h9Rvln7QhY pic.twitter.com/3QrnGMXduW
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) July 10, 2026
“This monster abducted this child while she was riding her bike,” said Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis. “It’s common sense. Do NOT release illegal alien pedophiles from jail into American neighborhoods to victimize more children.”
ABC7 Chicago and local police described Velasquez-Muro as a “41-year-old Hampshire man.”
According to a Pingree Grove Police Department Facebook post, officers responded to reports of a child abduction and criminal sexual assault involving a 9-year-old girl around 1:30 p.m. on June 26.
Velasquez-Muro allegedly pursued and grabbed the girl while she was riding her bike in Pingree Grove, a western suburb of Chicago. Investigators said the man coerced into a white four-door sedan and sexually assaulted her before she managed to escape.
The suspect initially fled the scene but was arrested on June 30. Authorities launched an immediate investigation that included surveillance video review, neighborhood canvasses, forensic evidence and interviews, police said.
Velasquez-Muro now faces charges of aggravated kidnapping of a child, predatory criminal sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual abuse, and sexual exploitation of a child.
During a preliminary hearing on July 2, the judge ordered him detained in the Kane County jail pending trial. His next court date is scheduled for July 16. According to VINE records, he remains in Kane County Adult Justice Center.
Pingree Grove Police Chief Christopher Harris praised the “swift response” of local officers, investigators and law enforcement partners in identifying and arresting him.
“While this arrest is an important step in the investigative process, our primary focus remains on supporting the young victim and her family as they begin the difficult journey toward healing,” Harris shared in a statement.
Illinois State Rep. Jeff Keicher, R-Sycamore, and Senator Dave Syverson, R-Cherry Valley, condemned Illinois’ dangerous sanctuary policies following news of the alleged abduction and assault.
“I am deeply saddened for this young girl that our laws allowed this scumbag to be in our communities in the first place,” Keicher said. “This is why the state of Illinois needs to prioritize safety over the protection of failed progressive policies that continue to put vulnerable people at risk.”
As the father of three daughters, Senator Syverson described the incident as “absolutely heartbreaking and infuriating.” He called out the fact that Illinois law hid the suspect’s immigration status and thanked DHS for releasing the information.
“Our families deserve full transparency, not cover-ups,” Syverson said. “I’m urging prosecutors to hit him with the strongest charges possible and make sure this animal never sees the streets again.”
While local police praised Velasquez-Muro’s arrest, DHS highlighted an extensive list of illegal alien crime across the state.
In March, ICE lodged a detainer for Jose Medina-Medina, another Venezuela migrant released under Biden, after he was arrested for shooting and killing 18-year-old Loyola College student Sheridan Gorman in Chicago, Illinois.
Medina-Medina was arrested in Illinois on charges of shoplifting in 2023 and was released rather than deported. Police never tried to locate him prior to the alleged murder of Gorman.
In July 2025, ICE arrested Luis Mendoza-Gonzalez, from Mexico, after he was released by sanctuary politicians in Lake County, despite being arrested for hiding the body of 37-year-old Megan Bos on his property.
Other crimes include the rape a 54-year-old woman in Chicago, the execution-style murder of a man who was buried in concrete in Cook County, Illinois, and a DUI hit-and-run that killed 20-year-old Katie Abraham in Urbana, Illinois.
According to DHS, Illinois released more than 1,700 criminal illegal immigrants with ICE detainers during President Trump’s first year back in office.
Other reports said Chicago-area officials released more than 400 jailed illegal immigrants between January and December 2025 instead of turning them over to federal authorities.
