The Guatemalan migrant accused of setting a sleeping F train passenger on fire and then watching as she burned to death sneaked into the country illegally after being deported — and then stayed in the New York City shelter system, multiple sources confirm to The Post.
He first entered the US at the Arizona border in 2018, when he was nabbed and deported just days later for crossing illegally, multiple sources told The Post.
He then re-entered the US at a subsequent unknown date, sneaking past US authorities. It’s unknown how long he has been in New York.
However, law enforcement sources said he stayed in multiple taxpayer-funded migrant shelters in the city.
When he was issued a transit ticket in 2023, he gave an address of a shelter on Randall’s Island, the sources said.
The suspect does not appear to have any other previous criminal history, sources said.