Federal prosecutors announced more than 700 immigration-related cases were filed last week in west and south Texas. The actions are all part of a nationwide initiative set out by the Trump administration to repel illegal immigration and protect local communities from violent crime.
Last week, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas reported over 500 cases filed, a new record high set since the implementation of Operation Take Back America.
These cases include charges filed for illegal entry, reentry following prior removal, and human smuggling crimes. The district reports that many of these individuals have prior felony charges, which include narcotics, assault, immigration offenses, and firearm charges.
Among those facing charges is Jose Garza Lopez, a Mexican national who law enforcement discovered near Bonito. According to the district, he was removed in June 2023 and has prior convictions for transporting illegal aliens, assault with a deadly weapon, and two convictions for possession with intent to distribute.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas also reported a high number of cases filed against illegal immigration and related crimes, boasting that this is the second consecutive week with more than 200 cases filed against illegal aliens and human smugglers with prior convictions of burglaries, violent crimes, DWIs, and prior removals.
Among the new cases is that of U.S. citizen Devin Michael Brady, who was arrested and charged with human smuggling following a U.S. Border Patrol traffic stop.
The district reported that the stop was initiated after a border control operator “observed four individuals running north from the U.S.-Mexico border before boarding a silver pickup truck north of Texas Highway 20.”
Although officers did not find any passengers with Brady, they did notice several cell phones inside the truck.
Brady allegedly had his cell phone out, messaging in Spanish on WhatsApp, indicating a possible smuggling scheme.
According to the district, Brady was to be paid $750 for each of the five illegal aliens he picked up and had just dropped off near his residence.
Brady has a list of past criminal records since 2003 that includes possession of prohibited weapons, evading arrest, and 3 separate felonies for failing to register as a sex offender.
Also in the Western District, Guatemalan illegal alien Ervin Lopez-Marroquin was charged with illegal reentry. He was previously deported last June after a conviction for assault, cruelty toward a child, and driving under suspension. The district reports that in 2024, he was convicted of resisting an officer and DUI.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, an initiative by the Trump administration to eliminate cartels and transnational criminal organizations, repel illegal immigration, and protect communities from crime.
