Illegal Immigrant Sex Offender Working as Michigan Professor Arrested by ICE
Federal immigration agents have arrested an illegal immigrant sex offender who had been working as a college professor in Michigan, according to a statement from Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Sumith Gunasekera, originally from Sri Lanka, was apprehended in Detroit as part of the Trump administration’s ongoing crackdown on criminal aliens residing in the United States. Gunasekera told ICE officers that he was serving as an associate professor at Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Michigan.
According to ICE, Gunasekera has a lengthy criminal history dating back to 1998. Authorities say he first entered the U.S. in February of that year before briefly leaving for Canada. He returned later on a student visa — despite already having a criminal record in Canada.
While applying for a new immigration status in 2012, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services discovered his criminal convictions north of the border. That included a 1998 conviction in Brampton, Ontario, for uttering threats and sexually interfering with a minor, for which he received a one-month jail sentence and a year of probation.
Three years later, in 2003, Gunasekera was arrested again — this time in Las Vegas — for open and gross lewdness. He was later convicted of disorderly conduct in 2004 and sentenced to pay fines.
“It’s sickening that a sex offender was working as a professor on an American college campus and was given access to vulnerable students to potentially victimize them,” said Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “Thanks to the brave ICE law enforcement officers, this sicko is behind bars and no longer able to prey on Americans.”
She added that under President Donald Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, the administration would continue removing criminals who exploit the immigration system.
Ferris State University confirmed Gunasekera has been placed on administrative leave pending an internal investigation.
“Ferris State University leaders on Tuesday became aware of accusations regarding Professor Sumith Gunasekera. He has been placed on administrative leave while the university gathers more information,” said Dave Murray, Associate Vice President for Marketing and Communications. “This is a personnel issue and it would be inappropriate for the university to further discuss the matter.”
Gunasekera is not the only educator arrested in recent enforcement actions. Federal authorities also recently detained Ian Andre Roberts, then-superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools, who turned out to be an illegal immigrant from Guyana with a long-ignored deportation order.