The federal government ordered that the arrest of an "llegal immigrant and registered sex offender" working for Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) as an intern be postponed until after the November 2012 election. Government officials had warned within the Obama administration of significant interest on the part of media and Republican legislators in the matter.
According to AP, "Internal government documents show that federal immigration agents were prepared to arrest an illegal immigrant and registered sex offender days before the November elections but were ordered by Washington to hold off. Officials warned of "significant interest" from Congress and news organizations because the suspect was a volunteer intern for Sen. Robert Menendez."
Nevertheless, the Homeland Security Department said in December 2012 that an AP report of delay in the arrest of Luis Abrahan Sanchez Zavaleta was "categorically false." Sanchez, an 18-year-old native of Peru, was arrested at his home in New Jersey on December 6. The federal government has released him and he is now facing deportation. As for Menendez, he won re-election.
