An illegal immigrant living in San Francisco who was able to pass a background check to drive for a ride-sharing service has been charged for a series of rapes.
“The San Francisco district attorney’s office charged Orlando Vilchez Lazo, 36, with raping four women while posing as a ride-share driver in San Francisco.,” according to the New York Post.
According to Kate Margolis a spokesperson for Lyft, the events happened while the driver was off-duty, and the company is investigating how he was able to beat their background check system without having proper documentation.
“Margolis also said it appears Vilchez Lazo ‘fraudulently represented himself’ in applying to drive for Lyft and passing its background check despite his immigration status,” according to the Post. “The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency said Tuesday that Vilchez Lazo was living in the United States illegally.”
A judge revoked bail, ordering Vilchez Lazo to jail while he awaits trial. His charges carry a maximum sentence of life in prison, and if he is ever released ICE plans to deport him back to his native Peru.
However, with San Francisco’s sanctuary policy in place, ICE fears that its detainer request will be ignored by the city. Local law enforcement is barred from working with federal immigration services under the policy.
ICE officials blasted San Francisco’s sanctuary policy, which has also been implemented in other major metropolitan areas around the country.
“The policy ‘not only provides a refuge for illegal aliens, but it also shields criminal aliens who prey on people in the community,’ ICE spokesman Richard Rocha said,” according to the Post.
Kate Steinle was shot and killed by Garcia Zarate, an illegal immigrant who should have been deported after being arrested on marijuana possession charges. San Francisco also ignored ICE’s detainer request for Zarate. Steinle’s death caused a national uproar.
The House recently passed Kate’s Law, named for Steinle, which will impose stricter penalties for deported illegal aliens who return to the United States.