ICE removes murder suspect to El Salvador

ALEXANDRIA, La. — An El Salvadoran national wanted in his home country on two counts of aggravated homicide was removed from the United States Friday by officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).

Marvin Ernesto Escalante-Roque, 33, first came into ERO custody in August 2010 after he was encountered by U.S. Border Patrol agents in Texas. ERO officers removed him from the United States in September 2010. In October 2010, the National Civil Police of El Salvador obtained an arrest warrant charging Escalante-Roque with aggravated homicide and membership to an illicit group. They issued another arrest warrant for Escalante-Roque in December 2010 for a second count of aggravated homicide.

At some point thereafter, Escalante-Roque re-entered the United States. The ERO Washington Fugitive Operations Team located and apprehended Escalante-Roque outside his residence in Richmond, Virginia, in April 2013. While he was going through removal proceedings, Interpol issued a Red Notice for his arrest based on the active warrants from El Salvador.

ERO officers removed Escalante-Roque from the United States Friday via an ICE charter aircraft that departed Alexandria International Airport in Louisiana. Upon arrival in San Salvador, El Salvador, Friday, ERO officers transferred Escalante-Roque to the custody of El Salvadoran law enforcement authorities.

"ERO prioritizes the removal of individuals who pose threats to public safety, and Mr. Escalante-Roque, wanted on two counts of aggravated homicide in El Salvador and a previously deported alien, met that criterion," said ERO Washington Field Office Director Yvonne Evans.

In fiscal year 2013, ICE conducted 368,644 removals nationwide. Nearly 60 percent of ICE's total removals had been previously convicted of a criminal offense; 82 percent of individuals removed from the interior of the United States had previously been convicted of a criminal offense.

In addition to convicted criminals, the agency's enforcement priorities include those apprehended while attempting to unlawfully enter the United States, illegal re-entrants – individuals who returned to the United States after being previously removed by ICE – and immigration fugitives. In fiscal year 2013, 98 percent of ICE removals met these priorities – a record high.