News Releases and Statements

ICE is firmly committed to the health and welfare of all those in its custody and is undertaking a comprehensive agency-wide review of this incident, as it does in all such cases.

To ensure the welfare and safety of the general public as well as officers and agents in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic response, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will temporarily adjust its enforcement posture beginning today, March 18, 2020. ICE's highest priorities are to promote life-saving and public safety activities.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents arrested six suspected MS-13 gang members at a number of locations in San Francisco, Daly City, Mountain View, Menlo Park, and South San Francisco on March 12.

Demetrio Lopez-Pena was convicted of rape by force and sodomy by force by the Superior Court of California, County of San Diego in 1982 and received an aggregated sentence of twelve years. His other convictions include a 1979 DUI conviction, and a 2010 conviction for failure to register as a sex offender and DUI, where he was sentence to 32 months prison.

In addition to the two Los Angeles-area residents, special agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) arrested two Chinese nationals who each paid tens of thousands of dollars to enter into sham marriages with United States citizens to obtain Green Cards. The United States citizens in these situations were actually undercover HSI agents.

Michael Rahim Mohammed, aka Mr. Dark, 32, was charged with various counts of distribution of child pornography, production and transportation of obscene matters for sale or distribution, engaging in the business of selling or transferring obscene matter, and laundering of monetary instruments according to the nine-count indictment and parallel civil forfeiture action unsealed today.

Leadership Tampa Bay promotes the prosperity and vitality of the Tampa Bay region, enlightening local leaders to the importance of the area in the state of Florida. The group engages members with businesses and community leaders to enhance knowledge of regional assets and issues.

Kenneth Warren Rhule, 26 of Bothell, Washington was arrested March 10 on an eight-count complaint charging him with operating an illegal money exchange business involving bitcoin, announced Acting SAC of ICE's HSI Seattle Eben Roberts and U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran.

According to the indictment, Elvis Harold Reyes, 56, of Brandon, owned and operated EHR Ministries Inc., and portrayed himself as an immigration attorney, pastor, accountant, immigration expert, former immigration official and former federal law enforcement officer.

Edgar Vinicio Guzman-Borja was arrested by the NYPD Feb. 2, on the charges of sexual abuse 1st degree: contact with victim less than 13 and act in manner to injure child less than 17.

Consistent with the agency’s protocols, the appropriate agencies have been notified about the death, including the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG), and the ICE Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR). Additionally, ICE has notified the Guatemalan consulate and Ochoa’s next of kin.

Alois Mutare, 42, a citizen of Zimbabwe, was arrested during routine enforcement actions targeting at-large criminal aliens, illegal reentrants and other immigration violators in New England.

On December 21, ICE lodged an immigration detainer while Mr. Bautista was in state custody facing felony charges for false imprisonment with violence, and a misdemeanor charge for domestic violence. Pursuant to the California Trust Act (SB 54), the San Diego Sheriff’s Office (SDSO) did not honor the detainer. Mr. Bautista posted a bond and was released from state custody the same da

ERO Philadelphia arrested Eduardo Coc-Sep in Philadelphia without incident. He remains in ICE custody pending immigration proceedings before a federal immigration judge.

A Laredo grand jury returned the indictment Feb. 25, 2020 against Juan Alfredo Crisencio Martinez, 20, and Jaythan Trevonne Phillips, 20, both from Irving, Texas. Both men went before U.S. District Judge Diana Song Quiroga who charged them with forcible assault.

Over the past five years, this recently apprehended criminal alien has been arrested by local law enforcement at least seven times. ICE lodged eight detainers with local law enforcement following his arrests. Due to sanctuary laws, he was released back into the community to reoffend. He is currently in ICE custody pending immigration proceedings.

Jason Somchanmavong, 31, an aggravated felon, is now in ICE custody waiting removal to his home country. He was convicted of attempted homicide and discharging a firearm from a vehicle Feb. 13, 2006.

On Dec.12, 2018, the U.S. Border Patrol arrested Mejia-Santos, after he illegally entered the U.S. near Lukeville, Arizona and placed him in removal proceedings.

The indictment charges that from on or about Jan. 4, 2012, through on or about July 24, 2017, the defendants and other co-conspirators conspired and agreed to devise a scheme to defraud Unique Builders, Inc., a family business engaged in short and long-term construction and improvement projects using wire communications.

On Monday, March 2, 2020, Gary Peck, 44, of Clark County, Washington, was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison and 3 years’ supervised release for his role in a credit card fraud ring that operated in the greater Portland metropolitan area from February 2017 to February 2018.