ICE Dallas office deports man wanted for human trafficking in El Salvador

DALLAS – A man from El Salvador, who is wanted in his home country for human trafficking, was deported and turned over to Salvadoran law enforcement authorities Monday by officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).

Jose Ricardo Urias Hernandez, 33, first illegally entered the United States in July 1998, and claimed to be from Mexico. He was returned to Mexico in 1998, and again in 1999 after he again illegally entered the United States. However, when he was caught again trying to re-enter the U.S. in February 2003, he was detained and ordered formally deported by a federal immigration judge. ICE carried out this deportation order to El Salvador in May 2003. He was again deported in January 2005. Anyone who re-enters the United States after being formally deported commits a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

Urias Hernandez was caught trying again to illegally enter the United States April 27, 2013. However, during his processing, it was discovered that the Salvadoran government had issued a warrant for his arrest April 3 for illegally trafficking three people, also known in El Salvador as human trafficking.

Urias Hernandez was transferred to the Civilian National Police of El Salvador (PNC) without incident at about 4 p.m. June 24.

"Our ERO officers help protect public safety on a daily basis by identifying, apprehending and deporting dangerous criminal aliens," said Simona L. Flores, field office director for ERO Dallas. "One of our priorities is to work with our international law enforcement partners to return fugitives to their home countries."

ERO is focused on smart, effective immigration enforcement that targets serious criminal aliens who present the greatest risk to the security of our communities, such as those charged with or convicted of homicide, rape, robbery, kidnapping, major drug offenses and threats to national security. ERO also prioritizes the arrest and removal of those who game the immigration system, including immigration fugitives or those criminal aliens who have been previously deported and illegally re-entered the country.

Since Oct. 1, 2009, ERO has removed more than 640 foreign fugitives from the United States who were being sought in their native countries for serious crimes, including kidnapping, rape and murder. ERO works with ICE's Office of International Affairs, foreign consular offices in the United States, and Interpol to identify foreign fugitives illegally present in the country.