News Releases and Statements

Ali, aka “Tukeh,” had been residing in Springfield, Virginia, and served as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Somali National Army and Commander of the Fifth Brigade in Northwest Somalia from approximately May 1987 to July 1988. The Somali National Army committed numerous serious human rights violations against civilians during that time, including the arbitrary arrest and execution of suspected political opponents, the burning of entire towns, the unlawful use of landmines and the destruction of water reservoirs to target the civilian population.

ICE's ERO Philadelphia announced that Martin Enrique Bacigalupo Olivera, a citizen of Peru with a final order of removal, was removed to his home country on December 19. Bacigalupo is wanted by Peruvian authorities for crimes against life, body and health, specifically homicide.

ICE's ERO in New York City arrested unlawfully present Mexican citizen Jose Hernandez Sachez, Dec. 19. Hernandez has convictions for third degree sexual abuse among other charges.

Those included removal flights to Brazil, Central America, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Haiti, Jamaica, Mexico and Peru.

Hyunjae Choi, 45, and Young Jin Nam, 49, are citizens of South Korea who were arrested without incident in Redmond, Washington Sept. 9 during a targeted enforcement operation.

Jeovann Anthony Forde, 23, a citizen of Jamaica living in Philadelphia, was arrested during a targeted enforcement operation without incident.

ICE's ERO Newark, with assistance from FBI Newark, arrested Salvadoran citizen and known member of the MS-13 criminal organization Johnathan Stanley Garcia-Vasquez, aka Johnathan Stanley Garcia-Garcia, Dec. 20. Garcia is wanted by authorities in El Salvador for aggravated homicide and terrorist organizations.

ICE's ERO Boston arrested an El Salvadoran national, Dec. 17, who is wanted on felony charges of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14. Hugo Israel Ruiz, 55, was arrested Aug. 22 by Revere Police Department and sent to the Chelsea District Court.

ICE's ERO Boston arrested a 68 -year-old El Salvadoran national Dec. 17, who is wanted for failing to register as a Sex Offender. Candelario Navarrete was arraigned by the East Boston, Massachusetts District Court for the offense of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender, on May 2, the case is pending.

Luis Balmore Borja-Bautista unlawfully entered the United States on May 17, 2017, and is an active member of the 18th Street Security Threat Group with several pending felony charges.

In FY 2024, ERO worked to improve its operational efficiency through several modernization initiatives, continued its interior enforcement efforts, cared for all noncitizens in ICE custody, and delivered case management services to those on the non-detained docket while optimizing the agency’s removal capabilities to manage the large influx of border crossers.

Consistent with ICE protocols, the appropriate components were notified about the death, including the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General, and the ICE Office of Professional Responsibility. Additionally, ERO Dallas notified the next of kin as well as the Consulate General of India in Houston.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Chief of Staff Michael Lumpkin met with representatives from CoreCivic Dec. 17 to discuss operations and the agency’s detained population’s needs. ICE works closely with private detention contractors, including CoreCivic, to manage its detained docket and provide housing for those in its custody.

ICE's ERO New York City arrested Raymond Rojas Basilio, a previously removed citizen of Mexico convicted of forcible touching of the sexual/intimate parts of another person, Dec. 17. The victim is less than 11-years old.

ICE's ERO Chicago, with assistance from ERO San Diego, Harlingen, Texas, Mexico City, and ERO Removals’ International Operations Division, today removed Osiel Cardenas Guillen, 57, a known zeta cartel member, to Mexico, where he is wanted for homicide and illegal possession of a firearm.

ICE's ERO Philadelphia arrested Gora Tourie Fall, a 34-year-old citizen of Senegal, during a targeted enforcement operation on Dec. 10, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Those included removal flights to Angola, Cameroon, Central America, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Peoples Republic of China, and Zambia.

ICE's ERO Boston arrested Fernando Rodrigues De Lima, a Brazilian fugitive wanted in his home country to finish serving a prison sentence for aggravated robbery and other crimes.

ICE's ERO Boston arrested 43-year-old Anderson De Sousa Almedia Nov. 30. The Everett Police Department had arrested him July 6 and charged him with assault and battery on a family or household member, assault with a dangerous weapon, and assault and battery.

ICE's ERO Boston arrested Luan Lucas De Sousa Goncalves, 21, Dec. 2. De Sousa is a Brazilian national who unlawfully entered the United States July 22, 2023, and has been charged with rape and indecent assault and battery on a person over the age of 14.

ICE's ERO Houston, with assistance from ERO El Salvador and the SAFE Task Force, removed Carlos Alfredo Montano-Velasquez, a 32-year-old unlawfully present Salvadoran national, from the United States Dec. 6. Montano-Velasquez is a documented member of the 18th Street Gang and is wanted in El Salvador for criminal conspiracy.

ICE's ERO Newark officers, with assistance from FBI Newark, arrested a total of 12 noncitizens from Chile, Colombia and Peru connected to South American theft groups.

Dennis Arnoldo Zeledon Hernandez, an unlawfully present Salvadoran noncitizen, was sentenced Dec. 4 to one year and six months in prison for obstructing an agency proceeding.

Those included removal flights to Brazil, Central America, Chad, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Haiti, Mexico, Nepal, Nigeria, and Turkmenistan.

Officers from ICE's ERO Raleigh Fugitive Operations Team arrested 39-year-old Rene Arturo Canas-Rivas, a citizen and national of El Salvador, on Nov. 30.