News Releases and Statements

On July 25, deportation officers conducting a targeted law enforcement action in and around Chesapeake, Virginia, encountered one of the worst kinds of criminals, an aggravated felon, who had already been removed from the United States.

In Skagit County, 10 individuals were taken into custody, including nine from Mt. Vernon and one from Burlington. In Whatcom County, nine individuals were taken into custody from cities including: Bellingham (3), Bow (1), Everson (2), Ferndale (2) and Lynden (1).

All of the 100 men and 12 women taken into custody by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officers during this week’s operation, which concluded late Wednesday, had criminal histories. The majority (62) had prior felony convictions for serious or violent offenses, such as child sex crimes, weapons charges, and assault.

Edwin Alexander Garcia-Pimentel, aka Huezo, 41, was transferred by ERO officers to the custody of Salvadoran law enforcement officials. An arrest warrant issued in June 2013 by a judge in El Salvador charges Garcia with aggravated murder.

The 24 arrestees were all male citizens and/or nationals of several different countries across the globe, including El Salvador, Nicaragua, Ghana, Ethiopia, Bolivia, Guatemala, Mexico and Panama and had previously been convicted of crimes, including rape of a minor, child abuse/neglect, grand larceny, drug distribution and more. Arrests took place in Fairfax, Woodbridge, Manassas, Falls Church, Annandale, Winchester, Sterling, Herndon, Springfield, as well as the District.

Alex Alexidze, 41, was repatriated to Canada via ground transportation under ICE escort July 19, from York County Prison and turned over without incident to the custody of the Canada Border Services Agency at the Niagara Falls International Rainbow Bridge.

Juan Otero-Navarro, 36, entered ERO custody Oct. 23 following his release from federal prison and was transferred to the Stewart County Detention Center in Lumpkin, Georgia. Otero was convicted in September 2015 on a felony charge of illegally reentering the United States after a prior removal in May 2011. Otero was also convicted on felony forgery charges in Fairfax County, Virginia, in February 2011

Rolando Reyes-Cruz, 49, a Mexico national who was residing in New Lisbon, Wisconsin, was sentenced July 6 by U.S. District Judge James Peterson to 46 months in federal prison for illegally re-entering the United States after having been deported, which is a felony.

“Project Red II” targeted individuals with Interpol red notices and others wanted for serious crimes within Interpol member countries. A red notice serves as an international wanted notice and provides information on the identification of fugitives charged with or convicted of serious crimes who have fled prosecution or the serving of their sentence.

Jose Santiago-Cruz, 38, of Oaxaca, Mexico, was sentenced June 23 by U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb to 30 months in federal prison for illegally re-entering the United States after having been deported, which is a felony. 

Blas Alberto Lopez-Angulo, 46, of Tijuana, was transferred by San Diego-based officers on ERO’s Special Response Team to the custody of representatives from Mexico’s Procuraduria General de la Republica (PGR) and Mexican immigration officials at the San Ysidro Port of Entry.

ERO officers based in Kentucky arrested 49 individuals. Thirty-three of the 49 have been convicted of crimes in the United States including: grand theft auto, battery, sexual abuse, aggravated assault, DUI, hit and run. The remaining 16 are agency enforcement priorities as recent border crossers.

ERO officers arrested 107 individuals in the greater Chicago area. Ninety-six of the 107 have been convicted of crimes in the United States, including: robbery, possessing a stolen vehicle, aggravated DUI, rioting, aggravated sexual abuse, aggravated assault on an officer, and weapons offenses. The remaining 11 are agency priorities as recent border crossers. Twenty-one had previously been deported and illegally re-entered the United States.

In the St. Louis area, ERO officers arrested 34 individuals. Twenty-eight of the 34 have been convicted of crimes in the United States including: drugs, aggravated DUI, domestic battery, larceny and hit and run. The remaining six are agency enforcement priorities as recent border crossers. Eight of the 34 were previously deported from the United States and illegally re-entered.

ERO officers based in Wichita arrested 31 individuals. Twenty-five of the 31 have been convicted of crimes in the United States including: battery, unlawful discharge of a firearm, sexual assault, aggravated assault, DUI, and robbery. The remaining six are agency enforcement priorities as recent border crossers. Ten of the 30 were previously deported from the United States and illegally re-entered.

Juan Humberto Collazo Sanchez, 39, was turned over to Mexican authorities at the top of the Stanton International Bridge.

Carlos Fernando Orellana-Pizarro, 45, who has a robbery conviction in Germany, was repatriated on board commercial flights under escort by Cleveland-based ERO officers. After arriving at Comodoro Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport, ERO officers transferred Orellana-Pizarro to the custody of Chilean law enforcement.

Aniel Martinez Reyes, 29, was taken into ICE custody April 29, after being released from the Bergen County Jail.  On June 26, 2015, Martinez Reyes was convicted of robbery and sentenced in the Superior Court of New Jersey to three years’ imprisonment.

Marco Antonio Rojas-Lobato, 35, was transferred by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officers to the custody of representatives from the Mexican Attorney General’s Office. An arrest warrant issued in August 2002 by a judge in Mexico City charges Rojas with murder.

Those arrested had criminal histories with past convictions for drug trafficking, DUI, weapons violations, child sex offenses, identity theft, child abuse and other serious criminal offenses. Fifteen of those taken into custody were criminal aliens who now face federal prosecution for re-entry after deportation, a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

Luis Armando Hernandez-Segura, a 20-year-old citizen of El Salvador, illegally entered the United States at an unknown location and date. ERO officers arrested him in March in Herndon, Virginia, while assisting the Northern Virginia Gang Task Force with an operation. 

Rafael Alexander Henriquez, a 41-year-old citizen of El Salvador, illegally entered the United States at an unknown location and date.

During the five-day operation, ERO officers arrested a total of 65 targets in and around Las Vegas and 22 in the Reno area.