NEWARK, NJ – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has arrested multiple fugitives involved in serious crimes, including homicide, human trafficking, and sexual offenses. Many of these individuals, who were illegally present in the United States, had extensive criminal histories and ties to transnational gangs. While some of these fugitives are awaiting deportation, others face charges in U.S. courts.
Not everyone is happy about the enforcement actions. Attorney General Pam Bondi has already filed charges against Democrat leaders in Illinois and New York over their actions to resist the federal government’s immigration enforcement.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and his administration appear to be on the short-list of who will be served by the federal government next.
Among the most notable arrests was Humberto Romero Avila, a 45-year-old member of the Paisas gang, who had illegally entered the U.S. ten times. He was wanted in Mexico for the 2007 murder of a 22-year-old Mexican national. ICE deportation officers transferred him to Mexican authorities on Feb. 12 at the Juarez-Lincoln Bridge in Laredo.
ICE also dismantled a human trafficking network linked to the Tren de Aragua gang, a Venezuelan criminal organization. Eight Venezuelan nationals were charged in Tennessee for running a transnational commercial sex enterprise from July 2022 to March 2024. Additionally, ICE Indianapolis arrested a Venezuelan citizen wanted by Chilean authorities on kidnapping charges.
Several arrests involved individuals convicted or accused of sex crimes. ICE Cincinnati arrested Ciro Teodoro-Rivera, a Mexican national convicted of sexual imposition and aggravated assault. ICE San Diego apprehended Freddy Mogollan, a 41-year-old Mexican citizen convicted of sex offenses. ICE Dallas arrested Uqbasilassie Kiflemariam, a 40-year-old East African national charged with three counts of sexual assault.
Other recent operations targeted individuals wanted for violent crimes. ICE ERO Newark arrested a Peruvian national wanted for child rape overseas in Guttenberg, New Jersey. ICE Boston captured Jose Fernando-Perez, a Guatemalan national charged with multiple counts of forcible rape of a minor in Massachusetts. ICE Tucson, in collaboration with the U.S. Marshals and DEA, arrested Mexican national Michell Armando Santander-Ortega, who was wanted in Mexico for homicide. ICE Seattle detained Jose Marin-Lozano, a Salvadoran fugitive sought in his home country for murder.
Additionally, Mexican citizen Valentin Silva Quintana was sentenced to 27 years in prison after authorities uncovered his role in a sextortion scheme that targeted more than 60 young girls between the ages of 9 and 12. He used social media platforms like Snapchat and Instagram to exploit victims in multiple U.S. states and internationally.
ICE continues to prioritize the removal of individuals who pose significant threats to public safety. The agency has reiterated its commitment to working with law enforcement partners to track down and apprehend dangerous fugitives attempting to evade justice.