ICE removes MS-13 gang member wanted for murder in El Salvador

ATLANTA – A Salvadoran MS-13 gang member unlawfully present in the United States who is wanted in his home country on murder charges was removed from the United States Friday by deportation officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).

Melvin Eduardo Ramos, 34, is wanted in his home country for aggravated murder. Additional information on Ramos is available here via the INTERPOL Red Notice issued for him.

ERO Atlanta deportation officers transferred Ramos from the Stewart County Detention Center Thursday to Alexandria, Louisiana, where Ramos was then removed Friday via an ICE Air charter flight to San Salvador, El Salvador. Upon arrival, Ramos was transferred into Salvadoran custody.

Ramos was ordered removed from the United States by a federal immigration judge May 23. He was taken into ERO custody in October 2015 following his conviction in Iredell County, North Carolina, for driving while impaired.

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.