SDTX’s “Operation Pick-Off” comes to Laredo, resulting in nearly 30 criminal alien arrests, including convicted murderer

LAREDO, Texas - A total of 28 people have been taken into custody for various immigration-related violations of federal law following a major enforcement action throughout Webb, La Salle, McMullen, Jim Hogg and Zapata Counties, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Most are set to make their appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Brian Bajew in Laredo Sept. 29 at 9 a.m.

The Southern District of Texas and FBI initiative known as Operation Pick-Off began in the Rio Grande Valley as a multi-agency immigration/violent crime effort targeting illegal aliens who are on state probation for other crimes. It was launched Aug. 22 in the McAllen and Brownsville areas and resulted in the arrests of nearly 80 people. An additional 28 individuals have now been arrested in the Laredo area as part of this continuing effort.

"States normally put offenders on probation or parole to give them a second chance. But when it comes to criminal illegal aliens, our focus should be repatriating them to their home country, rather them letting them walk the streets of our community to commit additional crimes," said Ganjei. "Today's operation was a win for public safety, but, as I said at the announcement of this initiative, the U.S. Attorney's Office is not going to rest until we bring Pick-Off to all 43 counties of the Southern District of Texas. If you're here illegally and have committed crimes in our communities, consider yourself warned. We are coming."

The Laredo operation involved the arrests of 23 people who are allegedly in the country illegally after having been previously removed. The charges allege they were serving varying terms of probation following convictions for state crimes, such as drug offenses, human smuggling, fraud, burglary and aggravated assault.

One individual is a convicted murderer, according to court records, having been sentenced to 18 years in a Texas prison. He was removed to Mexico but allegedly reentered the United States after serving that sentence and was illegally residing in Laredo.

If convicted, he and most of the others face up to 20 years in federal prison.

Law enforcement also identified and arrested five others illegally present in the country who are expected to be immediately removed from the country.

In support of Operation Pick-Off, the FBI, through its Summer Heat initiative, surged resources alongside its law enforcement partners to focus on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations against priority targets.

"No single law enforcement agency can face today's increasingly complex, dangerous, and far-reaching threats alone," said Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tapp of the FBI San Antonio Field Office. "Operation Pick-Off reflects a unified and strategic law enforcement effort to protect the community from criminal illegal aliens. The FBI will continue to surge and mobilize resources to join our partners in protecting the homeland by enforcing our federal laws. The success of this operation was made possible by the unwavering commitment of the U.S. Attorney's Office to securing our southern border."

"This is what a whole-of-government approach looks like - federal, state and local agencies working together to increase public safety and make our communities safer one arrest at a time," said Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations Harlingen Field Office Director Juan Agudelo. "We are grateful for the collaborative efforts we saw today. This operation would not be possible without the support and assistance of the law enforcement partners we work with day in and day out to address complex threats facing our nation and achieve a shared goal."

FBI - San Antonio Field Office, ICE Harlingen (Laredo Sub-Office) and Laredo Sector Border Patrol worked with the U.S. Attorney's Office on the Laredo cases with assistance from ICE-ERO; U.S. Marshals Service; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Drug Enforcement Administration; Customs and Border Protection; ICE-Homeland Security Investigations; Texas National Guard; Texas Department of Public Safety and Laredo Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys from the Laredo Division are prosecuting the cases.

The collaborative effort is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.

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