News Releases and Statements

ICE completed the removal of Christopher Anthony Frater, a 32-year-old citizen of Canada, to his home country March 7 as part of the Canadian Treaty Transfer program.

ICE arrested Wilbert Jean-Baptiste, a 38-year-old convicted murderer wanted in Haiti following a prison escape, Feb. 4.

The multi-agency operation’s goal was to increase the safety of freight trains and their crews traveling through Charlotte, due to increased reporting of gang affiliated aliens on the rail tracks, threatening citizens and employees of the railway, selling narcotics, trespassing, and other criminal activity.

Among those arrested were members of violent international gangs, known for their involvement in drug trafficking, human smuggling, and violent crimes. Additionally, ICE took custody of convicted sex offenders who had unlawfully re-entered the United States, as well as individuals facing federal criminal charges for immigration and other violations.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Diplomatic Security Service, the U.S. Marshals Service, and several other state and local law enforcement agencies participated in the operation.

ICE removed Fatbardh Lala, an Albanian national wanted in his home country on fraud and bribery charges, when he was turned over to Albanian authorities at the Tirana International Airport in Tirana, Albania, March 6.

ICE removed Jose Ramon Torres Cordova, a 47-year-old Mexican fugitive wanted in Hermosillo, Mexico, for kidnapping and criminal association, March 7.

ICE arrested Dan Adrian Agafitei, 26, an illegally present Romanian national upon his release from the U.S. Bureau of Prisons Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, March 4.

ICE arrested Axel Ramirez-Hernandez, a 32-year-old Guatemalan national with convictions for sexual assault of a victim less than 16 years old and illegal reentry after deportation, March 6 in Spring Valley with a criminal warrant of arrest for illegal reentry after deportation.

ICE removed foreign fugitive Torsten Ew Torz, 31, a native of Germany and citizen of Romania, March 6.

ICE removed Ariel Nunez Figueroa, a 30-year-old Mexican national, to Mexico March 6. Nunez was wanted in Mexico for kidnapping and organized crime for his alleged role in the murder of 43 students from the Ayotzinapa Teachers' College in September 2014.

ICE removed Oscar Alexander Cruz Rodriguez, 29, an illegally present foreign fugitive wanted in El Salvador for rape of a minor, Feb. 14.

ICE arrested Brauly Aybar-Alcantara, a 25-year-old criminal alien from the Dominican Republic on charges of indecent assault and battery, assault and battery, and gross lewdness, Jan. 29.

An investigation by ICE has resulted in a one-year sentence for passport fraud for Jorge Antonio Velez-Lopez, a 69-year-old Colombian national, former archdiocese priest and convicted child molester, Feb. 28.

ICE removed two illegally present Honduran nationals convicted of felony sexual offenses, March 3.

ICE arrested criminal alien and fugitive from justice Leandro Romano de Souza, 27, for a felony drug trafficking conviction in Brazil, Jan. 27.

Batista Matos has been removed from the United States on three previous occasions. His first removal was on Oct. 8, 2010, when he was encountered by the U.S. Border Patrol after he entered illegally near Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico. He was then encountered and removed again in 2011, 2019 and 2023.

ICE completed the removal of Prince Solomon Knox, 62, a Sierra Leonean national, to his home country March 1.

ICE arrested Dieudonne Ishimwe, 38, a Rwandan foreign fugitive wanted for rape, in Fort Worth, March 3.

ICE arrested Anderson Nunez-Hernandez, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, as he was exiting the Philadelphia Industrial Correctional Complex, Feb. 21.

ICE arrested Amilcar Josue Villalvir Mendez, a citizen of Honduras, at the Northampton County Prison in Easton, Feb. 27. P

An investigation by ICE has led to Mario Antonio Mejia-Calderon, 34, an illegal alien from Honduras, being charged with possession of a counterfeit permanent resident card – or “green card” – and illegal re-entry by a previously deported alien.

ICE arrested Simeon Roosenov Moutafov, a citizen of Bulgaria, Feb. 24 with a final order of removal.

An investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement resulted in Kerin Orellana-Serrano, 30, an illegal alien from Mexico, being arrested on a criminal complaint charging him with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien. Orellana-Serrano faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison.

An investigation by ICE resulted in Jose Luis Carrasco-Aldape, 37, a twice deported illegal alien form Mexico, pleading guilty to illegal reentry of a removed alien.