A 25 Investigates report that first aired Monday night is contributing to the national immigration debate after revealing that a wanted child rapist from Brazil had been living undetected in a daycare on Cape Cod for years.
Andre Tiago Lucas, convicted in Brazil for raping a 13-year-old, resided in a state licensed Hyannis home daycare facility until months before his arrest by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in October.
Investigative reporter Ted Daniel’s findings have been widely shared, even reaching the Trump administration. The official X account for the White House posted a stencil portrait of Lucas and wrote “President Trump’s policies will hunt down and deport every last predator.”
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security further amplified the controversy, posting Wednesday that “Sanctuary jurisdictions are putting the lives of Americans in danger,” linking the case to broader debates about state and local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
Todd Lyons, the acting director of ICE, called the situation “a failure at the state level,” citing both the vetting process of the daycare operator and the fact that Lucas was able to evade authorities while hiding from a prison sentence for a “heinous crime.
However, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey vehemently pushed back against the “sanctuary state” label. “Massachusetts, we are not a sanctuary state,” Healey stated. When questioned by Daniel about the fairness of the Trump administration connecting Lucas to the state’s immigration policies, Governor Healey responded, “No. As soon as the department (EEC) found out about it, they took action.”
Franciele Nunes, the reported mother of Lucas’s children operated the home daycare. Governor Healey said that Nunes had actively concealed Lucas from the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC), the agency that licenses and inspects daycares.
Daycare operators are required to identify anyone who lives or regularly visits so they can undergo background checks, but 25 Investigates found screening does not extend to criminal history records from outside the United States.
“That’s what happened. She was lying to EEC, and I’m glad she got caught. She’s no longer a provider, and the person is in ICE custody,” Healey explained.
Healey emphasized her law enforcement background as the former Massachusetts Attorney General. “Anyone who commits crimes, especially crimes against children, needs to be dealt with. And if they are not here lawfully, they need to be deported,” she said.
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