Portland's reckless sanctuary city policy is to blame for the rape of two women by a man deported 20 times, Oregon's top Republican official told Fox News Monday.
State GOP chairman Bill Currier told "Fox & Friends" that Sergio Martinez, who was last detained in December but promptly released, should not have been in the country a week ago when he allegedly attacked a pair of women. The horrific attacks shocked the city and stoked fresh criticism of the pro-illegal immigrant policies.
"He was given preferential treatment,” said Currier. “Essentially in Oregon, our governor and the mayor of Portland, Ted Wheeler, have created a protected class for illegal aliens that commit serious crimes."
Martinez, 31, had a detainer placed on him as a “serious immigration violator” yet immigration officials in December were not notified. Multnomah County officials ended up releasing him back into the community.
PORTLAND MAN ACCUSED OF SEXUALLY ASSAULTING 65-YEAR OLD HAD BEEN DEPORTED 20 TIMES
Martinez is now being held without bail on charges of robbery, kidnapping and sexual abuse. One of his alleged victims is a 65-year-old woman who was brutally attacked in her home. The other woman was attacked in her apartment’s parking garage. Both attacks occurred last Monday.
Martinez has reportedly told Portland police he is a meth addict. He has been homeless in Portland for the past year.
Portland is widely known as a safe haven for illegal immigrants – no matter how many times they have been deported. The city and, Multnomah County and even the state legislature – all run by Democrats – have passed law declaring themselves a sanctuary for people in the country illegally.
THE SHOCKING DEPORTATION AND CRIMINAL HISTORY OF THE MAN WHO ATTACKED TWO OREGON WOMEN
Immigration and Customs Enforcement said Martinez has been deported 13 times since 2008. He has a lengthy criminal record in three states, with charges including battery, felony, burglary and felony illegal re-entry after removal.
He was in the Multnomah County Jail in December and ICE asked the sheriff’s department to notify them when he was released. The county ignored that request – as they do for all immigration detainers.
One month after Martinez was released, Multnomah County Sheriff Mike Reese launched an investigation into one of his deputies for contacting ICE before having a pre-trial meeting with an illegal immigrant. Around the same time, a judge was accused of letting an illegal immigrant slip out of her courtroom through the employee exit to escape ICE agents out in the hallway.
That judge was later found to have done nothing wrong.
As for Martinez, taxpayers may have to end up paying for his defense. The Portland City Council awarded $50,000 to launch a project aimed at helping immigrants fight deportation and other legal issues.
Fox News' Dan Springer contributed to this report