The illegal immigrant suspect in the burglary of Katie Hobbs for Governor headquarters, Daniel Mota, is being sought by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Mota was released from the custody of the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office on October 29th, according to Sgt. Calbert Gillett.
According to sources, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) considers Mota, a citizen of Portugal, at-large for administrative immigration violations for failing to maintain his status as a registered student at an academic institution. ICE’s Phoenix Fugitive Operations Team is attempting to locate Mota.
Mota came to ERO’s attention after his arrest by the Phoenix Police Department for the campaign headquarters burglary on Oct. 27.
ERO was advised Mota had bonded out of Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office custody prior to a detainer being issued.
ICE staff conducted a records check, and determined Mota entered the U.S. in 2018 as a nonimmigrant and violated the terms of his admission.
According to the Phoenix Police Department, the 36-year-old Mota was already in custody at the time they discovered he was the suspect in the Hobbs’ headquarters burglary.
On October 25, 2022, Phoenix Police officers were dispatched to a commercial burglary call in the area of Central Avenue and Virginia Avenue. When officers arrived, they learned from the reporting party that an unknown man broke into their building the night before and stole multiple items.
Although Hobbs inexplicably tried to tie the burglary to Lake and her campaign rhetoric, police have not released any motive for the burglary or any evidence linking the suspect to the election or Lake’s campaign. In fact, Mota social media posts indicate he lost his job during the pandemic and had hit hard times.