ICE removes convicted murderer to Guatemala
Also convicted in Texas for aggravated robbery
PORTLAND, Ore. – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers removed a Guatemalan national Thursday, who was convicted of a 1985 murder in Oregon.
On Dec. 13, 1985, the Portland Police Bureau arrested Luis Lopez Carrasco, 56, for murder and other local charges.
Lopez-Carrasco was previously removed in 1984 after an immigration judge issued him a final order of removal. He illegally re-entered the U.S. and in May 1985 was convicted in Texas for aggravated robbery and sentenced to 10 years’ confinement with the Texas Department of Corrections. It was while he was serving this sentence that Texas authorities facilitated his extradition to Oregon to face additional charges in Multnomah County, Oregon.
On Oct. 2, 1986, the Multnomah County Circuit Court convicted Lopez-Carrasco on one count of aggravated murder, sentenced him to 99 years in prison, and remanded him to the custody of the Oregon Department of Corrections (ODOC) to serve his prison term.
Following the murder conviction, the legacy U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) lodged an immigration detainer with ODOC in October 2000.
Lopez-Carrasco was released from ODOC on Oct. 29 and immediately transferred to ICE custody.
“This case is yet another example of how immigration detainers are extremely important to upholding public safety,” said ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations Seattle Field Office Director Nathalie Asher. “Were he not turned over to ICE, he’d likely be back on the same streets where he committed these crimes; to say that is a disservice to his victims would be a complete understatement.”
Lopez-Carrasco was removed from the U.S. via an ICE Air Operations (IAO) charter flight and transferred to the custody of Guatemalan authorities.
ICE lodges immigration detainers on individuals like Lopez-Carrasco who have been arrested on local criminal charges and who are suspected of being removable, so that ICE can take custody of that person when he or she is released from local custody. When law enforcement agencies fail to honor immigration detainers and release serious criminal offenders onto the streets, it undermines ICE’s ability to protect public safety and carry out its mission.
ICE focuses its enforcement resources on individuals who pose a threat to national security, public safety and border security. ICE deportation officers carry out targeted enforcement actions every day in locations around the country as part of the agency's ongoing efforts to protect the nation, uphold public safety and protect the integrity of our immigration laws and border controls. These operations involve existing, established Fugitive Operations Teams.
Since Oct. 1, 2009, ERO has removed more than 1,700 foreign fugitives from the United States who were sought in their native countries for serious crimes, including kidnapping, rape and murder. Members of the public who have information about foreign fugitives are urged to contact ICE by calling the toll-free ICE tip line at 1-866-347-2423 or internationally at 001-1802-872-6199. The public can also file a tip online by completing ICE's online tip form.
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