News Releases and Statements

Benito Alvarez-Gonzalez, 31, is accused of kidnapping two 15- and 17-year-old boys in Mexico in December 2015. He allegedly raped and shot the 17-year-old boy five times killing him; but the 15-year-old was able to escape and notify Mexican authorities.

Josue Wilfredo Diaz-Arriaga, who is the subject of an Interpol Red Notice for extortion of individuals for protection money, was ordered removed by an immigration judge in November 2015. He was turned over without incident to Salvadoran authorities Jan. 22 in San Salvador, El Salvador.

Fidel Chan-Amador, aka El Chichi, 48, was turned over to Mexican authorities Jan. 22 at the Juarez-Lincoln Bridge in Laredo.

All 15 arrested have been convicted of crimes in the United States and fall within ICE’s enforcement priorities for deportation. Their convictions include: homicide by negligent use of a vehicle, strangulation and suffocation, battery, burglary, theft, domestic abuse, drug possession and drunk driving. The group also included three previously deported aliens.

ICE Executive Associate Director of ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Thomas D. Homan was one of three DHS career executives who received a 2015 Presidential Rank Award for Distinguished Service, which is bestowed to leaders who’ve achieved sustained extraordinary results.

ERO officers removed General José Guillermo García-Merino, 82, from the United States to San Salvador, El Salvador, via an ICE Air Operations charter aircraft. They arrested him Dec. 17 in Florida.

The arrests included a 43-year-old Dominican Republic man, Luis Rosado, who was a legal resident in the United States, but an immigration judge revoked his legal status when he solicited anal sex and sexually assaulted a child between the ages of 5 and 11.

Luis Enrique Pineda-Mejivar, 22, was encountered Sept. 5 by U.S. Customs and Border Protection near McAllen, Texas, after he illegally crossed the border into the United States.

Elvis Kukavica, 34, arrived Jan. 6, in Ljubljana, Slovenia, under ICE escort and was turned over to Slovenian authorities without incident.

Jose Alberto Guadalupe-Ascencion, 30, of Norristown, Pennsylvania, was charged by indictment that alleges on or about Dec. 3, 2015, Guadalupe-Ascencion, an alien, and native and citizen of Mexico, was found in the United States after having been deported from the United States.

Andrew Peter Ferris, 39, was wanted by British authorities for failing to serve a 21-month prison term for sex crimes committed in the U.K.

Saado Mohamed Ibrahim, 47, of Lebanon, was convicted of air piracy and sentenced to 20 years in prison on Aug. 18, 1997 after forcing his way into the cockpit of Iberia Flight 6621 en route from Madrid to Havana July 26, 1996, and threatening to blow it up.

Federico Calderon-Aguilar, 37, was repatriated under tight security, escorted by members of ERO's operations coordination team. Upon arriving at the port of entry, Calderon was transferred to the custody of Mexican law enforcement.

According to the indictment, Esau Garcia-Patino, a 23-year-old Mexican national, was stopped by the Pennsylvania State Police Oct. 20 in Cumberland County and found to be aiding and transporting the three individuals who unlawfully entered and remained in the United States. Garcia-Patino remains in custody.

Luis Martinez-Gomez, 29, Alexis Alvarado-Diaz, 20, Santos Aguilar-De Leon, 30, and Manuel Valadez-Mirales, 46, all natives and citizens of Mexico, were indicted separately by a federal grand jury in Harrisburg on illegal re-entry charges.

Roman Tepozotlan-Mendoza, 50, was turned over to Mexican authorities Dec. 17 at the Lincoln Juarez Bridge in Laredo.

Lucione Nonato Barros, who was wanted on an Interpol red notice, arrived at the Sao Paulo Guarulhos International Airport without incident. Upon her arrival, she was immediately transferred to the custody of the Brazilian Federal Police.

ICE Director Sarah R. Saldaña swore in members of ICE’s new Advisory Committee on Family Residential Centers (ACFRC) at today’s inaugural meeting.

According to the indictment, the conspiracy existed from March 2014 to October 2015 and was led by Jorge Balbuena, who supplied wholesale amounts of heroin, cocaine, crack, and other controlled substances to other wholesale drug distributors, and street dealers.

“Due to the tireless efforts of the ICE enforcement officers, more than three dozen convicted criminals were taken off the streets,” said Tom Decker, ERO Philadelphia field office directory. “We will continue to ensure our country is not a safe haven for nefarious foreign nationals.”

Malam Mane Sanha was sentenced May 22 to 36 months imprisonment following a guilty plea for conspiracy to commit narco-terrorism; conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States; conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, specifically FARC; and conspiracy to acquire and transfer anti-aircraft missiles.

According to Salvadoran police reports, on Dec. 24, 2004, Rafael Antonio Vaquerano was drinking with the victim when an argument ensued. Vaquerano took out his weapon and fired one shot hitting the victim in the abdomen. The victim subsequently passed away.

Carlos Alejandro Hernandez, 23, was encountered July 11 by U.S. Customs and Border Protection near Rio Grande Valley, Texas, after he illegally crossed the border into the United States. On Oct. 5 an immigration judge ordered him removed from the United States.

The committee’s charter requires that membership consist of up to 15 members, representing a variety of perspectives, with at least one representative from each of the following disciplines: primary education, immigration law, physical and mental health, trauma-informed services, family and youth services, detention management and detention reform.

A Mexican national wanted in his native country for homicide was deported Friday by officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).