ICE nabs July 4 groper who was allowed to walk free thanks to sanctuary laws

Immigration agents nabbed an illegal immigrant who sexually assaulted an American woman on Independence Day years earlier — and was let go by local cops thanks to sanctuary laws in Portland, Oregon, The Post has learned.

Mexican illegal immigrant Kevin Contreras-Mendoza, 27, followed a woman on the street in Portland, Oregon, on July, 4, 2018, before grabbing her from behind and violently groping her as she cried out for help, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

“This Independence Day, Americans are safer with this SICKO off our streets,” said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.

“Insanely, Oregon authorities failed to honor his detainer to turn him over to ICE. Instead, they released this sex offender into American communities. Thanks to the leadership of President Trump and Secretary Noem, ICE is empowered to arrest and remove sexual predators like Contreras-Mendoza who threaten the freedoms and safety of Americans,” McLaughlin added.

The woman’s screams were heard by two bystanders, who chased Contreras-Mendoza as he fled the scene. He was ultimately captured on Sept. 13, 2018 and handed a conviction in 2019.

ICE lodged a detainer asking local cops to hand over Contreras-Mendoza.

But they ignored the request and ultimately let him back onto the streets, according to DHS.

Contreras-Mendoza illegally snuck across the US-Mexico border at an unknown time.

Oregon was the first state to become a sanctuary for illegal immigrants, passing restrictions in 1987.

While the Beaver State has tried to stay away from helping ICE, the feds intend to keep making arrests of illegal immigrants in sanctuary states, Homeland Security said.

“These … are the core of the Democrat Power Center, where they use Illegal Aliens to expand their Voter Base, cheat in Elections, and grow the Welfare State, robbing good paying Jobs and Benefits from Hardworking American Citizens,” Trump said last month, referring to an effort to “flood” sanctuary cities with ICE agents.

And with the passage of President Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill Act, the mass deportation effort will only be “turbocharged” with new funding to hold up to 100,000 illegal immigrants at a time, according to DHS.