Romulus Mihai, 33, entered the US under the visa waiver program in 2013 and tried to become a citizen, officials said. What he didn’t disclose: He had already been convicted in Belgium for the sexual exploitation of a child.
Instead of serving his sentence, Mihai fled to the US, ICE said.
“Not only did Mihai victimize a child in his native country; he attempted to exploit the integrity of our immigration system to avoid accountability for his crime,” HSI Washington acting Special Agent in Charge Christopher Heck said.
“The arrest of Romulus Mihai is a testament to the outstanding collaboration between HSI and USCIS.”
In April 2025, Homeland Security Investigations agents in Washington arrested Mihai after US Citizenship and Immigration Services flagged his application during a review.
“Together, we were able to identify, arrest and remove a child sex predator who had no legal right to remain in the US,” Heck said.
A Department of Justice immigration judge ordered Mihai removed on June 26, and ICE returned him to Belgium on July 31, where he was turned over to authorities to face justice.
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