Donald Trump falsely blames Joe Biden for Danilo Cavalcante entering the US

At a Schnecksville, Pa., rally earlier this month, former President Donald Trump denounced the Biden administration for allowing a violent, undocumented immigrant into the United States who would go on to kill a Schuylkill Township woman.

But that man — Danilo Cavalcante, the convicted murderer who escaped from Chester County prison last August, generating fear throughout the area before being recaptured — actually came to the US during the Trump administration.

Cavalcante, 35, who had fled to Puerto Rico in 2018 to evade arrest for murder in his native Brazil, was in Pennsylvania at least by June 27, 2020, nearly seven months before Trump left office, according to a spokesperson for the Chester County District Attorney’s office.

On that day, Upper Providence Township police had issued a warrant for Cavalcante’s arrest for simple assault, harassment, and terroristic threats against Deborah Brandao, the girlfriend he would later murder in April 2021. Upper Providence Chief of Police U. Mark Freeman confirmed the 2020 warrant request.

Cavalcante was arrested on April 18, 2021, for stabbing Brandao to death, the spokesperson said. Cavalcante was convicted of first-degree murder on Aug. 16, 2023, then made international news when he escaped from Chester County Prison on Aug. 31. He was recaptured on Sept. 13.

During the rally, Trump pointed to Cavalcante’s case as an example of “Joe Biden’s border bloodbath,” despite his illegal entry taking place under Trump’s own administration.

“Right here in eastern Pennsylvania, you had an illegal alien criminal who murdered a woman from Chester County, stabbing her 38 times in front of her 7-year-old daughter and 4-year-old son… He was a violent, violent person ,” Trump said.

“Then in September that same illegal alien escaped from Chester County Prison and prowled through suburban communities … hiding in backyards, breaking into homes, until he was found with a stolen gun and he was ready to do massive damage all over your community.”

JJ Balaban, a South Philadelphia-based ad maker for Democrats, said Trump supporters likely won’t care about the fact that Cavalcante came to the country under the former president’s watch.

“I’m not optimistic that most of those who had attended Trump’s rally would care if they found out that Trump was being hypocritical about Cavalcante by implying criminals come into the country only under Biden,” he said. “But I’d like to think other voters might be more discriminating.”

Rachel Lee, spokesperson for the Republican National Committee, did not directly address questions about Trump’s misinformation on the case. Instead, Lee issued a statement that accused Biden of giving “the green light to sanctuary jurisdictions like Chester County that harbor illegal alien criminals, costing countless innocent lives” without addressing the fact Cavalcante arrived in the United States before Biden took office.

“On day one, President Trump will begin deporting Joe Biden’s illegal aliens who threaten the safety of American communities and crack down on deadly sanctuary cities to ensure these senseless crimes finally end,” she said.

Who is Danilo Cavalcante?

After his recapture, Cavalcante, was charged in November with escape, burglary, trespass, theft, receiving stolen property, unlawful possession of a firearm, and for stealing clothing and camping supplies, a refrigerated van, and a Ruger .22-caliber rifle from homes along his escape route in Chester County.

In Brazil six years before, Cavalcante had been wanted for murder after shooting 20-year-old student Valter Júnior Moreira dos Reis five times on Nov. 5, 2017, in the state of Tocantins, according to Gazeta Do Cerrado, a Brazilian newspaper. The altercation allegedly occurred over a vehicle-repair debt dos Reis owed Cavalcante.

A warrant for Cavalcante was issued, and he hid in a wooded area, much like he did in Chester County.

In January 2018, Cavalcante illegally entered Puerto Rico, a US territory, during the second year of the Trump administration.

After entering Puerto Rico, Cavalcante obtained a fake ID and eventually settled in Chester County, where his sister and friends were already living, Gazeta Do Cerrado reported.