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Take a behind-the-scenes look at the high profile removal process through a case involving Martires Molvan-Figeureo, a former member of the Dominican National Police wanted for murder charges.
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ICE prioritizes removing criminal noncitizens

Take a behind-the-scenes look at the high profile removal process

cropped image of shackled feet walking up the stairs to a plane

Since U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was established in March 2003, the agency has removed hundreds of thousands of noncitizens, some of whom fall under the category of high-profile removals.

High-profile removals are not only a danger to communities, but they also pose a threat to the officers who apprehend them and ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officers who escort them back to their home countries, which may be as close as Mexico or as far as Yemen, Iraq, Rwanda and the Czech Republic.

Which criminal noncitizens fall under a high-profile removal status? Most are fugitive noncitizen removals, meaning that he or she is wanted for a crime in another country regardless of the severity of the crime. Fugitive noncitizen removals cases generally involve those who’ve committed serious crimes, including murder, rape, sexual abuse of a minor, drug offenses, noncitizen smuggling, fraud or theft. Some high profile removals are national security risks, such as suspected terrorists, those involved in counter-proliferation crimes or are on the Terrorist Watch list and/or the No-Fly list.

Members of the public who have information about foreign fugitives are urged to contact ICE by calling the toll-free 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.

The arrest and removal of high-profile criminal noncitizens send a powerful message to the rest of the world: United States will not allow it’s free and open society to be used as a hiding place for another nation’s most violent criminals and human rights violators to use as an escape from justice.

Since January 2017, a sample of the foreign fugitives ICE has removed include:

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ICE removes foreign agent Mariia Butina following conspiracy conviction Carlos Raul Garcia-Cantarero, 35, entered ICE custody June 7 after serving eight months in federal prison for illegally re-entering the United States after being previously deported - Deported September 2017 German Reyes-Benitez, a Salvadoran MS-13 gang member illegally present in the United States, who is wanted in his native country for attempted aggravated homicide - Removed November 2016 Erick Raudales-Raudales, aka Gerson Reiniri Raudales-Acosta, wanted for homicide in Honduras - Removed September 2017 Ysidro Mendoza-Guzman, a Mexican national wanted in his native country for aggravated homicide - deported August 2017 Kelbin Alberto Perez De Los Santos was turned over to Dominican authorities August 2017 by ERO officers for a homicide in his native country Gregorio Gaytan-Estrada, a sexual predator who was wanted in Mexico for injury causing death, manslaughter and murder - Removed August 2017 Elmer Hernandez-Natareno, wanted in Guatemala for homicide and attempted homicide - Removed September 2017 Jacinto Matom-Brito, was wanted for sexually assaulting two minors in 2012 in Guatemala. Interpol issued a red notice for Matom-Brito at the request of Guatemala - Removed by ICE July 2017. Phoenix officers remove Honduran national for attempted murder charge ICE removes man sought for homicide in Tijuana ICE El Paso deports convicted sex offender on ICE's Top 10 most wanted list US extradites former Salvadoran official to Spain following ICE investigation Phoenix ERO repatriates El Salvadoran national wanted for murder ICE deports man wanted in Mexico for murder Phoenix officers repatriate a Mexican national wanted for homicide ERO New York removes Salvadoran national wanted for murder and attempted murder Charlotte-area MS-13 gang members sentenced to life in prison following ICE HSI investigation ICE removes Kosovan national wanted for robbery and weapons possession ICE Houston removes MS-13 gang member wanted for aggravated homicide in El Salvador South Texas ICE officers remove 2 fugitives wanted by Salvadoran authorities for separate aggravated homicides, other charges ICE removes MS-13 gang member sought for assassination of Salvadoran prosecutor ERO removes fugitive 18th Street gang member to El Salvador ERO removes fugitive MS-13 gang member to El Salvador
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