ICE South Texas officers deport Honduran man wanted for manslaughter
SAN ANTONIO — A Honduran man wanted for manslaughter in his home country was deported Friday by officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).
Jordy Javier Menjivar Molina, 22, is wanted in Honduras based on an Oct. 6, 2015, arrest warrant for manslaughter. According to the Republic of Honduras Technical Criminal Investigative Agency, on June 27, 2015, Molina argued with a patron about music at a local establishment. Molina stepped outside and retrieved a weapon from his vehicle that was used to murder Jose Hernan Rapalo Rodriguez. Rodriguez died immediately after being shot.
"Jordy Javier Menjivar Molina will now face justice in Honduras for his alleged involvement in the violent murder of a Honduran man,” said Daniel Bible, field office director for ERO San Antonio. “This office works closely with our foreign law enforcement partners to repatriate fugitives who enter the Unites States to escape justice for crimes committed in their home countries.
Less than two months after Rodriguez was killed, Molina entered the United States Aug. 17, 2015, through the Houston, Texas, airport; he was admitted as a B1/B2 temporary visitor. U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Inspections informed him that as a temporary visitor, he needed to depart the United States by Feb. 15, 2016.
On March 15, 2016, the Travis County (Texas) Sheriff’s Office arrested Molina for assaulting and causing bodily injury to a family member. On May 25, ICE encountered Molina at the jail and lodged a detainer on him. On Oct. 6, the Austin County Court at Law #4 convicted Molina of assault/family violence (strangulation), and sentenced him to four years’ probation.
On Oct.7, based on the ICE detainer, Molina was turned over to ICE custody where he remained until his removal. On Dec. 6, an immigration judge ordered Molina to be removed to Honduras.
Menjivar Molina was flown to Honduras and turned over to Honduran officials Dec. 16.
Since Oct. 1, 2009, ERO has removed more than 1,700 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. In 2015 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.
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