Honduran man wanted for attempted homicide removed
NEW ORLEANS – A Honduran national accused of attempted homicide in his home country was removed Friday from the United States by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).
Tomas Lopez Meza, 48, is wanted in Honduras for a warrant issued on Dec. 29, 1997, for attempted homicide.
On June 18, 2014, Lopez was arrested near Tecate, California, by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Lopez was ordered removed by an immigration judge in California, on July 26, 2016.
Lopez departed Friday from Alexandria International Airport in Alexandria under escort by deportation officers from ERO New Orleans. Upon his arrival in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, ICE turned Lopez over to Honduran authorities.
“This removal is evidence we are committed to returning criminal aliens to the countries where they will face justice,” said David Rivera, field office director of ERO New Orleans. “We cannot allow the United States to be a safe haven for people fleeing prosecution in their home country.”
Since Oct. 1, 2009, ERO has removed more than 1,789 foreign fugitives from the United States who were sought in their native countries for serious crimes, including kidnapping, rape and murder. ERO works with the ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Office of International Operations, foreign consular offices in the United States, and Interpol to identify foreign fugitives illegally present in the United States. Members of the public who have information about foreign fugitives are urged to contact ICE by calling the ICE tip line at 1 (866) 347-2423 or internationally at 001-1802-872-6199. They can also file a tip online by completing ICE’s online tip form.
ERO coordinates the removal of criminals, foreign fugitives and others ordered deported. Last year alone, ERO removed 235,413 individuals from the United States. ICE is focused on smart and effective immigration enforcement that prioritizes its resources based on those who pose the biggest threat to national security, border security and public safety. ICE’s civil enforcement efforts are based on priorities set by the Secretary of Homeland Security in November 2014.
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