U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) says it detained an undocumented immigrant, Carlos Corte-Corte, on March 31 and placed him into removal proceedings after authorities allege he led a 4-year-old girl away from a Patchogue laundromat on March 28. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) told Fox News Digital that the alleged incident occurred at Laundry Kingdom, located at 138 East Main St., at approximately 12:08 p.m. Suffolk County Police say the child’s mother reported her missing after Corte-Corte, who was unknown to the family, led the girl out a rear exit of the laundromat. Officers reviewed surveillance footage and canvassed the neighborhood. The child was later found safe in the children’s play area of the Patchogue-Medford Library at 54-60 East Main St. A patrol officer then located and detained Corte-Corte near the laundromat, according to police. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents walk down a street during a multi-agency targeted enforcement operation in Chicago, Illinois, in January 2025. The agency rearrested Corte-Corte on March 31, according to the New York Post.(Getty Images) Corte-Corte has been charged with second-degree kidnapping and endangering the welfare of a child, Suffolk County police said. DHS stated that Corte-Corte, a national of Ecuador, illegally entered the U.S. on at least three occasions in 2020 and was removed each time; DHS added he allegedly re-entered a fourth time before the March incident. The day after his arrest, a Suffolk County judge ordered Corte-Corte released on supervised release with a GPS monitor, The New York Post reported. Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney reportedly disagreed with the decision, calling the case "concerning." In court, Corte-Corte’s public defender told the judge that the defendant believed the girl lived alone and escorted her to the library, and that a language barrier may have caused a misunderstanding. The attorney characterized the incident as potentially a mistake, according to media reports. A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer's badge and gear. Statement From DHS: Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis criticized local policies in a statement, saying, "This three-time deported criminal illegal alien, Carlos Corte-Corte, kidnapped an innocent four-year-old girl from a laundromat on Long Island. New York sanctuary politicians chose to release this kidnapper from jail to prey on more innocent children rather than cooperate with ICE law enforcement. Sanctuary politicians must stop putting politics above public safety. This type of insanity leads to more crimes and more innocent victims." Fox News Digital has contacted the Suffolk County District Attorney's office for additional comment. The case remains active, and Corte-Corte faces both criminal charges and immigration proceedings. What Happens Next Corte-Corte remains subject to removal proceedings by ICE and faces criminal prosecution in Suffolk County. Further hearings and any additional statements from prosecutors, defense counsel, or DHS may provide more details as the case proceeds.Help us improve.