ICE removes Mexican fugitive sought for aggravated kidnapping
PHILADELPHIA — A Mexican man, who was convicted of heroin trafficking related offenses in the United States, and is wanted in his home country for aggravated kidnapping, was turned over to authorities in Mexico Wednesday by officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).
Arturo Alcala-Mendez , 41, was repatriated on board an ICE Air flight that originated in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. After arriving at the Port of Entry in Brownsville, Texas, ERO officers transferred Alcala-Mendez to the custody of Mexican law enforcement.
"Mr. Alcala-Mendez will now have to face justice for his alleged criminal acts," said Tom Decker, field office director for ERO Philadelphia. "My office is committed to working closely with our foreign law enforcement partners to remove and return individuals like this, who are wanted for violent crimes in their home countries."
According to DHS databases, Alcala-Mendez entered the United States illegally in 2014 before being arrested by special agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration in July 2014 on heroin trafficking charges. He was later convicted of the offense and served a federal prison term.
In October 2015, ERO issued an expedited removal order against him. On March 9, ERO officers took Alcala-Mendez into custody following his release from prison and began making final arrangements for his removal.
Since Oct. 1, 2009, ERO has removed more than 720 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 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 country.
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