ICE removes El Salvador man wanted in his home country for homicide
LAREDO, Texas — Officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) removed a Salvadoran man Tuesday who is wanted for homicide in his home country. He was turned over to Salvadoran law enforcement authorities upon his arrival in El Salvador.
Jaime Valle-Saracay, 27, a citizen of El Salvador, was removed via an ICE Air Operations charter flight without incident. Once in El Salvador, ICE ERO officers transferred custody of Valle-Saracay to the Policia Nacional Civil (PNC) of El Salvador, to pursue criminal charges against him.
“Our officers remain focused on ensuring that our efforts target fugitives from justice, both here and abroad,” said Daniel Bible, field office director for ERO San Antonio. “We will continue to deny fugitives the opportunity to evade the justice systems of our international partners by hiding unlawfully in the Unites States.”
“The Valle-Saracay case shows how effective cooperation between U.S. and Salvadoran law enforcement authorities helps keep our communities safe,” said Daniel Bible, field office director for ERO San Antonio. Such cases emphasize the vital nature of ICE’s mission.”
On Oct. 25, 2016, Valle was encountered by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Border Patrol near Rio Grande City, Texas. On Oct. 28, he was transferred to ICE custody. On Dec. 22, 2016, an immigration judge granted Valle a bond and was released from local custody, pending his removal proceedings. On May 15, 2017, the Juzgado Tercero de Instruccion, Santa Ana, El Salvador issued a warrant for Valles’s arrest charging him with aggravated homicide. On Oct. 25, 2017, an immigration judge issued him a final order of removal.
On March 14, 2019, Valle was encountered by the Harris County Jail, Houston, Texas. ICE lodged a detainer while he was in county custody. On Feb. 11, 2019, the 263rd District of Harris County, Texas convicted Valle of aggravated assault causing serious causing serious bodily injury. He was sentenced to two-years imprisonment then transferred to the Texas Department of Corrections in Huntsville, Texas. On May 5, he was transferred to ICE custody where he remained until his removal.
Since Oct. 1, 2009, ERO has removed more than 3,700 foreign fugitives from the United States who were sought in their native countries for serious crimes, including kidnapping, rape and murder. In fiscal year 2019, ICE removed or returned 267,000 aliens. ERO arrested 143,000 aliens, more than 86 percent of whom had criminal convictions or pending criminal charges.
ICE is focused on removing public safety threats, such as convicted criminal aliens and gang members, as well as individuals who have violated our nation’s immigration laws, including those who illegally re-entered the country after being removed and immigration fugitives ordered removed by federal immigration judges.
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