ICE Houston deports Mexican man wanted for murder and attempted murder

HOUSTON – A Mexican man wanted in his native country for homicide and attempted homicide was deported Friday by officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).

Humberto Lopez-Perez, 32, was escorted to the Juarez Lincoln Port in Laredo, Texas, and turned over to Mexico's Procuraduría General de la República (PGR).

"Removing foreign fugitives from the United States is an ICE priority," said David Jennings, field office director of ERO Houston. "The cooperation between the United States and the Mexican government resulted in this foreign fugitive being safely returned to his home country where he can stand trial for these very serious criminal charges."

Lopez-Perez was last encountered Sept. 10 by U.S. Customs and Border Protection's (CBP) Border Patrol agents in Laredo. He was subsequently convicted Oct. 3 by the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas, for illegally entering the United States.

Lopez-Perez was released into ICE custody Dec. 6. On Dec. 17, ERO Houston was notified that Lopez-Perez had an outstanding warrant in Mexico for murder and attempted murder. Indices checks showed that Lopez-Perez was deported on three occasions: April 2008, March 2009 and June 2011. His criminal convictions include discharging a weapon and assault – inflicting serious bodily damage.

This removal resulted from the expanded bi-national cooperation to identify, arrest and repatriate Mexican fugitives who have fled to the United States to avoid prosecution. ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Attaché Office in Mexico works closely with the Mexican government as part of this effort. Many of the fugitives captured in the United States are wanted in Mexico for homicide or other violent crimes.

Since Oct. 1, 2009, ERO has removed more than 645 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 HSI's Office of International Affairs, foreign consular offices in the United States and Interpol to identify foreign fugitives illegally present in the country.

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 criminal aliens who have been previously deported and illegally re-entered the country.