ERO New York City arrests previously removed Ecuadorian citizen convicted of manslaughter of newborn

NEW YORK — On March 15, Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) New York City arrested Maria Oliva Guaman, an unlawfully present citizen of Ecuador convicted by the New York Supreme Court of felony manslaughter.

ERO Officers from the Newburgh sub-office arrested the 33-year-old without incident upon her release from the New York State Department of Corrections. Guaman remains detained without bond pending removal proceedings.

“The absolute heinous nature of the crime cannot be overstated as this woman strangled her newborn baby to death and tossed him in a dumpster,” said ERO New York City Field Office Director Kenneth Genalo. ERO NYC will seek to effect her removal to Ecuador.”

Guaman unlawfully entered the United States on an unknown date, at an unknown location without being inspected, admitted, or paroled by an immigration official.

On Jan. 14, 2009, Enforcement and Removal Operations removed her to Ecuador pursuant to an order of expedited removal.

Guaman unlawfully re-entered the United States on an unknown date, at an unknown location without being inspected, admitted, or paroled by an immigration official.

On Dec. 10, 2013, the Spring Valley Police Department arrested Guaman for the crime of murder. On Sept. 15, 2014, the Rockland County, New York Supreme Court convicted her of manslaughter, a felony, in violation of section 125.20 of the New York State Penal Law and sentenced her to 12 years imprisonment.

Separately, on April 8, 2014 the United States District Court, White Plains, New York convicted Guaman of illegal reentry, in violation of 8 USC §1326(a), and sentenced her to time served.

Noncitizens placed into removal proceedings receive their legal due process from federal immigration judges in the immigration courts, which are administered by the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR). EOIR is an agency within the U.S. Department of Justice and is separate from the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Immigration judges in these courts make decisions based on the merits of each individual case. ICE officers carry out the removal decisions made by the federal immigration judges.

As one of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) three operational directorates, ERO is the principal federal law enforcement authority in charge of domestic immigration enforcement. ERO’s mission is to protect the homeland through the arrest and removal of those who undermine the safety of U.S. communities and the integrity of U.S. immigration laws, and its primary areas of focus are interior enforcement operations, management of the agency’s detained and non-detained populations, and repatriation of noncitizens who have received final orders of removal. ERO’s workforce consists of more than 7,700 law enforcement and non-law enforcement support personnel across 25 domestic field offices and 208 locations nationwide, 30 overseas postings, and multiple temporary duty travel assignments along the border.

Members of the public can report crime and suspicious activity by calling 866-347-2423 or completing the online tip form.

Learn more about ERO New York City’s mission to preserve public safety on X, formerly known as Twitter, @ERONewYork.