TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Authorities in Taiwan are on high alert as they track the movements of a U.S. national who entered the country on a tourist visa on Oct. 2 and was spotted in Taipei and New Taipei City on Monday (Nov. 4). According to the National Immigration Agency (NIA, 移民署), Levi Forrest Wallace poses a potential risk to public safety, prompting the agency to monitor his whereabouts until his 90-day visa expires, at which point they plan to deport him.
The NIA initially considered immediate deportation upon locating Wallace, intending to bar his future entry to protect public and social safety. However, the Taipei District Prosecutor's Office (北檢) rejected the agency's request for wiretapping and arrest warrants, citing Wallace's lack of illegal activity in Taiwan.
The NIA had also sought assistance from the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) to facilitate Wallace's return to the U.S., but they received no response. Currently, the NIA's Taoyuan office has limited information on Wallace's location but cannot act without risking legal repercussions.
Wallace, 43, has a criminal history in Oregon, where he faced a 90-day jail sentence and two years of probation for lewd conduct with a minor in 2001, according to the AIT. After receiving a tip-off from the AIT post-entry, the NIA discovered Wallace was not residing at his registered address in Taoyuan.
To safeguard national interests and public safety, the NIA has alerted other government bodies, including the National Police Agency, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (外交部), Ministry of Labor (勞動部), and Ministry of Education (教育部), to prevent Wallace from securing work or residency permits. The NIA has formed a special task force to locate Wallace, with plans to enforce deportation under the Immigration Act upon his capture.
