BOSTON — Federal immigration agents arrested a Brazilian national in Boston last week with convictions for child rape and child pornography, an arrest that is renewing scrutiny of the city’s long-standing approach to immigration enforcement under Mayor Michelle Wu.

According to ICE Boston, agents arrested Antony Araujo on December 19. ICE identified Araujo as a Brazilian national who was in the United States illegally and had been convicted of multiple child-related sex offenses.

ICE says Araujo’s criminal history includes convictions for rape of a child, indecent assault and battery on a child under 14, and possession of child pornography — among the most serious crimes under Massachusetts law.

A photo released by ICE shows Araujo handcuffed as agents took him into custody, an image that quickly circulated online and drew sharp reactions from residents questioning how someone with such convictions was able to remain in Boston.

On Dec. 19, ICE Boston arrested Antony Araujo, a criminal alien from Brazil. Araujo’s criminal history includes convictions for rape of a child, indecent assault and battery on a child under 14, and possession of child pornography. pic.twitter.com/5M6cdTi3gQ

— ICE Boston (@EROBoston) December 22, 2025

The arrest comes as Mayor Wu has repeatedly reaffirmed that Boston will not assist federal immigration enforcement beyond what is required by law. Her administration has emphasized that city agencies and Boston police do not inquire about immigration status and do not cooperate with ICE detainer requests unless compelled by a judicial warrant.

Wu has argued that these policies are necessary to maintain trust between immigrant communities and local government, and she has framed Boston as a city that protects residents regardless of immigration status.

Critics, however, say cases like Araujo’s highlight the consequences of those policies, particularly when individuals convicted of violent or sexual crimes are released back into the community and later apprehended only after targeted federal action.

ICE has not said how long Araujo had been living in Massachusetts or whether local authorities declined to honor detainer requests following his convictions. Federal officials also did not specify what triggered the recent arrest or whether he had been previously released from custody.

What ICE has said more broadly is that when jurisdictions limit cooperation, agents are forced to locate and arrest convicted offenders in the community — a process they say increases risk to the public and to officers.

The arrest has fueled renewed debate online and at City Hall over where the line should be drawn between immigration protections and public safety, particularly when it involves individuals convicted of crimes against children.

As details of Araujo’s criminal record spread, residents across the city were left asking a blunt question: how many more cases like this exist — and how many remain undetected?