(Daily Caller)—A man who authorities arrested at the U.S. Capitol for carrying a machete and a knife was an illegal immigrant from Venezuela that federal border authorities previously released from custody, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said Tuesday.
Capitol Police first nabbed Jose Leonardo Marquez, 23, after noticing a machete under his clothes, and ICE took his into custody on Dec. 27, according to the agency. Border Patrol apprehended Marquez on August 21, 2022 and released him from custody “due to a lack of detention capacity,” enrolling him in the tracking program known as “Alternatives to Detention.”
“Jose Leonardo Marquez-Marquez posed a significant threat to people in and around the U.S. Capitol,” Patrick Divver, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Washington, D.C. acting field office director, said in a statement regarding the arrest. “Thanks to our law enforcement partners at the U.S. Capitol Police, this threat was mitigated quickly. Fortunately, Marquez is currently in ERO custody and will face removal proceedings.”
Marquez checked in with ICE on Oct. 5, where he received a court date, according to the agency.
Capitol Police charged Marquez with carrying a dangerous weapon and possessing a prohibited weapon, ICE said.
Illegal immigration at the southern border has hit record highs in recent years, with the number of Border Patrol encounters of illegal migrants surpassing 2 million in fiscal year 2023 and 2.2. million in fiscal year 2022, according to federal data.
ICE made roughly 3,000 criminal arrests in fiscal year 2023 after more than 2,200 in fiscal year 2022 and about 2,300 in fiscal year 2021, according to the agency.
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At Last, a Company With Integrity in the Gold IRA Industry
For several years, I’ve been vetting out precious metals companies in search of the best. I believe in gold and silver but it’s hard to find integrity in the Gold IRA industry. The vast majority operate with shady tactics and gigantic spreads that take advantage of Americans who simply want to protect their life’s savings.
I’ve found a handful that I like and I’ve worked with some of them. By no means would I “unrecommend” them because, again, I vetted them out and found them to be above the fold. Unfortunately, it isn’t hard to be better than the rest when the rest are so darn awful.
After years of searching, I finally found a company that truly operates with integrity. Augusta Precious Metals has three important attributes that set them far above the competition:
- Non-Commissioned Sales Team: I cannot stress how important and unique this is. With just about every other company in the Gold IRA industry, the sales teams make commission from every account they open. This means they steer their clients toward the gold and silver products with the highest commission. With Augusta Precious Metals, the team is solely focused on putting the best gold and silver for their clients into their IRA. They get paid to serve the best interests of the Gold IRA client, NOT their own commission pay.
- Incredibly Low Fees: Most Americans would be shocked if they knew the spread other Gold IRA companies charge. Augusta charges just 5% versus up to 45% elsewhere.
- No Pressure, No Gimmicks: There’s an understanding among most in the Gold IRA industry that fear and pressure is the way to go. Augusta Precious Metals takes a sober approach when working with clients because they hold integrity in the highest possible regard. This is why they don’t offer gimmicks like “free” or “bonus” silver. It’s also why they do not apply pressure tactics to get quick sales. Their educational and transparent approach to doing business is exceedingly rare in the Gold IRA industry.