ERO Washington, D.C. operation results in Salvadoran citizen convicted of unlawfully reentering US after removal
RICHMOND, Va. — An Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Washington, D.C. operation resulted in the conviction of a Salvadoran national for unlawfully reentering the United States after a prior removal. Victor Manuel Romero-Diaz, 40, of El Salvador, received his conviction at the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia in Richmond April 14.
A review of Romero-Diaz’s immigration history revealed that was removed from the United States Dec. 12, 2011, after being convicted of a felony offense.
“Victor Manuel Romero-Diaz was previously removed from the United States after being convicted of a felony,” said ERO Washington, D.C. Deputy Field Office Director Patrick Divver. “He then illegally reentered the country without authorization. In order to ensure the safety of our residents, ERO Washington cannot allow convicted felons to unlawfully reenter the United States and reside in our communities. ERO will continue to do everything within our power to ensure the safety of the communities that we have sworn to protect.”
In October 2022, deportation officers from ERO Washington, D.C.’s Fugitive Operations apprehended Romero-Diaz in North Chesterfield, Virginia. Romero-Diaz had been living in Virginia without having obtained permission to apply for reentry into the United States.
Romero-Diaz faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. His sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 5, 2023.
This operation was conducted by ERO Washington, D.C. with significant assistance from the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and Organized Crime and Gang Section. The Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería of El Salvador also provided significant assistance.
Members of the public can report crimes and/or suspicious activity by dialing 866-347-2423 or completing the online tip form.
As one of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’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.
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