ICE deports man wanted for murder in El Salvador

HOUSTON — A man from El Salvador, who was wanted for murder in his home country, was deported and turned over to El Salvador officials on Jan. 6 by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officers.

Miguel Velis-Cruz, 23, was transferred to the custody of El Salvador law enforcement authorities by ICE ERO officers. Velis-Cruz is wanted in his native country for aggravated homicide. Velis-Cruz's repatriation to El Salvador follows his Nov. 9 arrest on administrative immigration violations. He was arrested in Hebbronville, Texas, by agents with U.S. Customs and Border Protection's (CBP) Border Patrol after entering the United States without being inspected.

After he was turned over to ICE, ICE ERO officers checked law enforcement databases and discovered an outstanding INTERPOL arrest warrant for murder against Velis-Cruz.

"Returning this murder suspect is a direct result of our close collaboration with our law enforcement partners in El Salvador," said Steve Boll, field office director for ERO in Houston. "ICE will continue to use our immigration enforcement authorities to promote public safety."

Since Oct. 1, 2009, ICE ERO has removed about 260 foreign fugitives from the United States who were being sought in their native countries for serious crimes, including kidnapping, rape and murder. ICE ERO worked 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.