Illegal alien charged in relation to unlawful employment and harboring of other illegal aliens at local taco restaurant

McALLEN, Texas - A 39-year-old Mexican national illegally residing in Mission has been arrested on charges related to illegally hiring, employing and harboring more than a dozen people with no authority to be in the country, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Authorities took Juan Ramirez Cortez into custody during an enforcement action July 10. He has made his initial appearance and is scheduled for a preliminary and detention hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Juan F. Alanis at 3 p.m. July 15. He remains in custody pending that hearing.

The charges allege Cortez was the manager at Ole Taco in Mission. In that role, Cortez is allegedly responsible for hiring and firing of employees, filling out employment paperwork and checking the immigration documents of employees. The criminal complaint alleges he hired at least 10 illegal aliens.

As part of the enforcement action, authorities also arrested 17 other individuals, all determined to be illegal aliens with no authority to be in the United States.

If convicted, he faces up to five years in federal prison.

FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) - Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations and Texas Department of Public Safety.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Storey Lyles is prosecuting the case.

A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.