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June 13, 2023Detroit, MI, United StatesEnforcement and Removal

ERO Detroit removes fugitive wanted for homicide in Honduras

ERO Detroit removes fugitive wanted for homicide in Honduras

DETROIT — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Detroit deportation officers removed an unlawfully present citizen of Honduras wanted for homicide in his home country June 8.

Francisco Montero-Ramirez, 30, was flown to Honduras, on a flight coordinated by ICE’s Air Operations Unit, where he was transferred to Honduran authorities.

“ERO Detroit’s strong relationship with our local and international partners helps keep our Michigan and Ohio communities safe from dangerous foreign fugitives,” said ERO Detroit Field Office Director Robert Lynch. “We will continue to identify and remove these public safety threats so they may be held accountable in their home countries.”

On an unknown date and location, Montero-Ramirez entered the United States without being inspected by an immigration official.

On Feb. 17, the Columbus Police Department arrested him. He was held at the Franklin County Jail in Columbus, Ohio, on local charges.

U.S. Border Patrol lodged a detainer with the jail and discovered Montero-Ramirez had an active warrant out of Honduras for his arrest.

ERO Detroit confirmed Montero-Ramirez was wanted for homicide in Honduras on March 28. The same day, ERO Detroit officers arrested him at the Franklin County Jail and detained him at the Calhoun County Correctional Facility in Battle Creek, Michigan.

On May 11, an immigration judge with the Justice Department’s Executive Office for Immigration Review issued a final order of removal for Montero-Ramirez.

In fiscal year 2022, ERO arrested 46,396 noncitizens with criminal histories; this group had 198,498 associated charges and convictions. These included 21,531 assault offenses; 8,164 sex and sexual assault offenses; 5,554 weapons offenses; 1,501 homicide-related offenses; and 1,114 kidnapping offenses.

As one of ICE’s three operational directorates, ERO is the principal federal law enforcement authority in charge of domestic immigration enforcement. ERO’s mission is to protect the homeland through the arrest and removal of those who undermine the safety of U.S. communities and the integrity of U.S. immigration laws, and its primary areas of focus are interior enforcement operations, management of the agency’s detained and non-detained populations, and repatriation of noncitizens who have received final orders of removal. ERO’s workforce consists of more than 7,700 law enforcement and non-law enforcement support personnel across 25 domestic field offices and 208 locations nationwide, 30 overseas postings, and multiple temporary duty travel assignments along the border.

Members of the public can report crimes or suspicious activity by dialing 866-347-2423 or completing the online tip form.

Learn more about ICE’s mission to increase public safety in your community on Twitter @ERODetroit.

The ERO Detroit field office oversees suboffices in both Michigan and Ohio.

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