EXCLUSIVE: Illegal Immigrant With Deportation Order Accused Of Raping 16-Year-Old Girl While She Was Walking Home

An illegal immigrant the federal government was supposed to deport nearly three decades ago allegedly raped a 16-year-old girl in New York as she was walking home, The Daily Wire has learned.

Aureliano Antonio Melendez Reyes, who hails from El Salvador, allegedly approached the teen in Huntington, New York, on June 6 and asked for her phone number, which she refused to hand over, Long Island’s News12 reported. The 59-year-old then allegedly forced her into an alley before sexually assaulting her.

The teenage girl was able to break free from Reyes and managed to scale a tall fence while partially clothed before calling 911, according to the local news outlet. The accused rapist continued to pursue the teenager while she was on the phone with authorities.

Police arrived at the scene, where they arrested the alleged predator.

The illegal immigrant snuck across the border without detection at an unknown time, the Department of Homeland Security told The Daily Wire. He received a deportation order in 1998.

“This monster is charged with rape, sexual abuse, and endangering the welfare of a child after he raped a 16-year-old girl who was walking home,” Acting Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Lauren Bis said in a statement. “This sexual predator NEVER should have been in our country and able to prey on this innocent girl.”

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) lodged a detainer against Reyes, asking local authorities to hand over the suspect following his prosecution, DHS said.

Reyes faces up to 25 years behind bars if convicted on the rape charges, according to News12.

It is unlikely that local authorities will honor ICE’s detainer due to sanctuary laws. New York Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul recently signed new anti-ICE legislation to prevent local law enforcement agencies from entering agreements with federal immigration authorities.

The legislation also seeks to ban ICE agents from wearing masks and entering churches, schools, and other sensitive locations.

Between January 20, 2025, and December 1, 2025, local authorities in New York released 6,947 criminal illegal immigrants onto the streets, according to DHS. Their crimes account for 29 homicides, 2,509 assaults, 199 burglaries, 305 robberies, 392 dangerous drug offenses, 300 weapons offenses, and 207 sexual predatory offenses.

Bis called out “Hochul and her fellow sanctuary politicians in New York,” asking them to honor ICE’s detainer against Reyes by committing to “not releasing this criminal illegal alien from jail and to turn him over to ICE.”

“New York sanctuary politicians must not release criminals from jail into New York communities,” she said.