Criminal illegal alien arrested in Texas for allegedly opening fire on neighbors with assault rifle over Memorial Day weekend has been deported from the US twice

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Texas - Over Memorial Day weekend, Juan Ayala Montero, a 60-year-old criminal illegal alien from Mexico, was arrested after allegedly opening fire on his neighbors. Ayala, who has been deported from the United States twice and has a lengthy criminal history, illegally reentered the country multiple times and may not have been caught if not for the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office's participation in ICE's 287(g) program. The sheriff's department lodged an immigration detainer against Ayala and notified ICE he was in custody.

"The arrest and placement of an immigration detainer on this violent criminal illegal alien is another example of the positive impact that the 287(g) program has on increasing public safety in our local communities," said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Houston acting Field Office Director Gabriel Martinez. "By participating in the program, it provides our state and local law enforcement partners with another tool to prevent dangerous criminal illegal aliens like Ayala from being released back into the community where they will likely reoffend."

While in the U.S. illegally, Ayala has been convicted of attempted homicide and criminal trespass. Following his arrest on May 24, a designated immigration officer from the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office was able to quickly confirm his immigration status and lodge an immigration detainer to ensure he wasn't released back into the community if he's granted bond.

Ayala was ordered removed by an immigration judge August 31, 1999, and removed Aug. 30, 2000. He illegally reentered the U.S. and was encountered again by immigration officials on Jan. 4, 2006, when he was arrested by the Dallas Police Department for a local disturbance. He was transferred into ICE custody and deported to Mexico that same day.

Ayala illegally reentered the U.S. a third time on an unknown date and was encountered again by immigration officials following his arrest on May 24, 2026.

Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.

ICE's Houston field office is responsible for conducting immigration enforcement in 56 counties in Southeast Texas, stretching down the Texas Gulf Coast from Beaumont to Corpus Christi and from Houston/Galveston out to Waco, Texas. To learn more about ICE's immigration enforcement mission in Southeast Texas, follow us on X at @EROHouston.