ICE Moves to Deport Lawful Permanent Resident Convicted of Child Sex Crimes After Early Prison Release

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has formally requested that the Guilford County Jail in North Carolina turn over Rebeca Fratila-Ilies, a Romanian national and lawful permanent resident convicted of serious child sex crimes. According to ICE Director Todd M. Lyons, Fratila-Ilies was convicted of two counts of carnal knowledge of a child and statutory rape in Virginia, where she was sentenced to 10 years but released early.

Fratila-Ilies came to the United States as a child and was granted a green card in 2006. However, ICE later determined that her lawful permanent resident status was based on a fraudulent asylum application filed by her mother. An immigration judge ordered her removal in absentia in 2017, but she successfully appealed and was granted relief from removal in 2022—before her sex offense convictions came to light.

After her early release from prison, Fratila-Ilies was arrested in North Carolina on March 12, 2025, for violating probation. The Guilford County Sheriff’s Office notified ICE Charlotte, which promptly lodged an immigration detainer on April 17 to prevent her release back into the community.

Director Lyons emphasized that although Fratila-Ilies is a lawful permanent resident, her convictions for child sex crimes make her subject to removal. She is currently in removal proceedings and ICE is ready to deport her once an immigration judge issues the order.

This case highlights the intersection of criminal justice and immigration enforcement, illustrating how early prison releases and complex immigration statuses can create challenges for public safety and accountability. ICE’s request underscores its role in detaining and deporting noncitizens convicted of serious crimes, even when their immigration status has been previously contested or temporarily protected.

Fratila-Ilies remains in police custody as her probation violation case proceeds. ICE’s ongoing push for deportation will test the immigration court’s handling of cases involving serious criminal convictions entwined with complicated immigration histories.

For more on immigration detainers and ICE enforcement actions, visit ICEgov’s official social media channels.