ERO New York City arrests fugitive wanted in Honduras for murder

NEW YORK — On May 8, Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) New York City arrested an unlawfully present noncitizen wanted by Honduran authorities for prosecution of the crime of murder.

Fugitive Operations officers from ERO New York City’s Long Island office arrested the 25-year-old Honduran national without incident in Amityville pursuant to a warrant and transferred him to Central Islip for processing. He will remain in custody, without bond, pending removal proceedings.

“Noncitizens charged with violent felonies in their home countries will not find safe haven or refuge in the United States,” said ERO New York City Deputy Field Office Director William Joyce. “We will ensure these noncitizens are repatriated to face the justice they erroneously thought they could escape by fleeing to the U.S.”

The Honduran citizen unlawfully entered the United States without being admitted, inspected or paroled by a U.S. immigration official.

On Feb. 22, 2023, ERO New York City received notification that the noncitizen was wanted by Honduran National Police for homicide.

Upon apprehension, the noncitizen attempted to conceal his true identity by providing a false name and birthdate. However, the officers positively identified him, at which point the noncitizen confirmed he was indeed the subject of the arrest warrant.

Noncitizens placed into removal proceedings receive their legal due process from federal immigration judges in the immigration courts, which are administered by the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR). EOIR is an agency within the U.S. Department of Justice and is separate from the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Immigration judges in these courts make decisions based on the merits of each individual case. ICE officers carry out the removal decisions made by the federal immigration judges.

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 crime and suspicious activity by calling 866-347-2423 or completing the online tip form.

Learn more about ERO New York City’s mission to preserve public safety on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @ERONewYork.