ICE Dallas office deports Salvadoran national wanted for aggravated homicide

DALLAS — A Salvadoran national and gang member, who was wanted in El Salvador for aggravated homicide and extortion, was deported Wednesday and turned over to local law enforcement authorities to face criminal charges.

This deportation was conducted by officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) in Dallas.

Cesar Lisandro Anaya, 27, was removed to El Salvador May 28 via government charter flight from Dallas and was turned over to officials from El Salvador's Policia Nacional Civil (PNC).

Anaya was administratively arrested on immigration-related charges April 9 in Frisco, Texas, by ERO officers and special agents with ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) during a national anti-gang initiative. He was one of the 638 gang members arrested nationwide during the monthlong HSI operation which was announced May 1. His arrest was also one of the 92 arrested in north Texas during this initiative. He is a member of the Mara 18 street gang in El Salvador.

A federal immigration judge ordered Anaya's deportation April 16.

"By removing criminal aliens to their countries of origin, ICE also removes the threat to public safety in local U.S. communities," said Patrick D. Contreras, field office director of ERO Dallas. "At the same time, these removals ensure that aliens who commit crimes abroad do not use the United States as a safe haven from justice in their home countries."
ICE routinely uses special air charters to transport aliens who have final orders of removal from an immigration judge. Staffed by ICE ERO Air Operations officers, these air charters enable the agency to repatriate large groups of deportees in an efficient, expeditious and humane manner.

This most recent repatriation is another example of expanded bi-national cooperation to identify, arrest and repatriate Salvadoran criminal suspects who have fled to the United States to avoid prosecution. ICE officers work closely with the PNC, the Salvadoran National Interpol Office and Salvadoran immigration as part of this effort.

In fiscal year 2013, ICE returned 160 criminals with active PNC arrest warrants to El Salvador via ICE removal flights. Many of those arrested were accused of homicide-related charges or other violent crimes.

Since 2006, ICE Air Operations has supported ERO by providing mass air transportation and removal coordination services to ERO field offices nationwide. Staffed by ERO officers, these air charters enable the agency to repatriate large groups of deportees in an efficient, expeditious and humane manner.

Since Oct. 1, 2009, ERO has removed more than 720 foreign fugitives from the United States who were being sought in their native countries for serious crimes, including kidnapping, rape and murder. ERO works with ICE's Office of International Affairs, foreign consular offices in the United States, and Interpol to identify foreign fugitives illegally present in the country.