News Releases and Statements

Following a lead from the USMS, Deputy U.S. Marshals and officers from ICE ERO Houston – Fugitive Operations Team located and arrested Efren Cruz-Nunez, a citizen of Honduras who entered the United States in 1998.

Juan Ramon Gonzalez-Hernandez, 22, was flown to El Salvador March 18 and turned over to Salvadoran officials.

Jose Carlos Granado-Melgar, 29, was flown to El Salvador March 17 onboard a charter flight coordinated by ICE’s Air Operations (IAO) Unit. Upon arrival, Granado-Melgar was turned over to officials from El Salvador’s Policia Nacional Civil (PNC).

All 15 arrested have been convicted of crimes in the United States and fall within ICE’s enforcement priorities for deportation. They have been convicted of the following crimes: aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a minor, aggravated unlawful use of a firearm, aggravated drunk driving, aggravated battery/great bodily harm, lewd and lascivious behavior in public, and drug possession.

Amir Abbas Tamimi, 44, was repatriated on board a commercial flight escorted by Philadelphia-based ERO officers. After arriving at Imam Khomeini International Airport, ERO officers transferred Tamimi to the custody of Iranian law enforcement.

All of those arrested by ICE during last week’s enforcement action met one of the agency’s top two enforcement priorities. All encountered had criminal records, some were felony convictions for serious or violent offenses, such as manslaughter, child abuse, robbery, false imprisonment, felony DUI, hit and run, armed burglary, racketeering, as well as weapons and drug violations.

Bahena’s efforts – and those of the nearly 200 servicemen and women in the Army National Guard’s Headquarters and Headquarters Company of the 404th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade in Normal, Illinois – were recognized Feb. 26, 2016 at the 16th Annual Reserve Family Readiness Award ceremony at the Pentagon.

Juan Saul Mendoza-Contreras, 29, also known as “El Chacala,” was turned over to Mexican authorities at the international boundary on El Paso’s Stanton Bridge Port of Entry.

Jonathan Javier Mejia-Ventura, 18, was encountered Aug. 15, 2015, by U.S. Customs and Border Protection near Hebbronville, Texas, after he illegally crossed the border into the United States.

Officials came together in El Paso, Texas, for the Repatriation Strategy and Policy Executive Coordination Team (RESPECT) meeting to discuss bilateral efforts and successes regarding repatriation processes.

Oytun Ayse Mihalik, 43, formerly of La Palma, was repatriated on board commercial flights escorted by San Francisco-based ERO officers. After arriving at Istanbul Ataturk Airport, ERO officers transferred Mihalik to the custody of Turkish law enforcement.

Carlo Figueroa-Macedo, who entered the United States in 1977 as a lawful immigrant, was ordered removed by an immigration judge in August 2011. Figueroa-Macedo’s lawful status was revoked based on his criminal convictions involving moral turpitude.

Those arrested had criminal histories that included convictions for the following crimes: driving under the influence (DUI), burglary, resisting officer, making a false report, hit and run, obstructing a police officer, forgery, damage property, cocaine possession, assault, shoplifting, narcotic equipment possession, simple assault, amphetamine possession, dangerous drugs (heroin), carrying a concealed weapon, and controlled substance distribution.

Benito Alvarez-Gonzalez, 31, is accused of kidnapping two 15- and 17-year-old boys in Mexico in December 2015. He allegedly raped and shot the 17-year-old boy five times killing him; but the 15-year-old was able to escape and notify Mexican authorities.

Josue Wilfredo Diaz-Arriaga, who is the subject of an Interpol Red Notice for extortion of individuals for protection money, was ordered removed by an immigration judge in November 2015. He was turned over without incident to Salvadoran authorities Jan. 22 in San Salvador, El Salvador.

Fidel Chan-Amador, aka El Chichi, 48, was turned over to Mexican authorities Jan. 22 at the Juarez-Lincoln Bridge in Laredo.

All 15 arrested have been convicted of crimes in the United States and fall within ICE’s enforcement priorities for deportation. Their convictions include: homicide by negligent use of a vehicle, strangulation and suffocation, battery, burglary, theft, domestic abuse, drug possession and drunk driving. The group also included three previously deported aliens.

ICE Executive Associate Director of ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Thomas D. Homan was one of three DHS career executives who received a 2015 Presidential Rank Award for Distinguished Service, which is bestowed to leaders who’ve achieved sustained extraordinary results.

ERO officers removed General José Guillermo García-Merino, 82, from the United States to San Salvador, El Salvador, via an ICE Air Operations charter aircraft. They arrested him Dec. 17 in Florida.

The arrests included a 43-year-old Dominican Republic man, Luis Rosado, who was a legal resident in the United States, but an immigration judge revoked his legal status when he solicited anal sex and sexually assaulted a child between the ages of 5 and 11.

Luis Enrique Pineda-Mejivar, 22, was encountered Sept. 5 by U.S. Customs and Border Protection near McAllen, Texas, after he illegally crossed the border into the United States.

Elvis Kukavica, 34, arrived Jan. 6, in Ljubljana, Slovenia, under ICE escort and was turned over to Slovenian authorities without incident.

Jose Alberto Guadalupe-Ascencion, 30, of Norristown, Pennsylvania, was charged by indictment that alleges on or about Dec. 3, 2015, Guadalupe-Ascencion, an alien, and native and citizen of Mexico, was found in the United States after having been deported from the United States.

Andrew Peter Ferris, 39, was wanted by British authorities for failing to serve a 21-month prison term for sex crimes committed in the U.K.

Saado Mohamed Ibrahim, 47, of Lebanon, was convicted of air piracy and sentenced to 20 years in prison on Aug. 18, 1997 after forcing his way into the cockpit of Iberia Flight 6621 en route from Madrid to Havana July 26, 1996, and threatening to blow it up.