Within a period of two weeks, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers from the Enforcement and Removal Operations units in Houston and Waco apprehended five illegal alien fugitives wanted for murder or homicide in the United States and Mexico.

“The quick response to locate, arrest and remove these threats from the community exhibits the pride and importance that these men and women take in their job every day,” said ERO Houston Assistant Field Office Director John D. Linscott.

According to a press release on Wednesday, ERO Houston fugitive operations officers arrested a 38-year-old illegal alien from Honduras on May 23 in Galveston. Officers obtained information from the National Criminal Analysis and Targeting Center that the individual was living in the Houston area illegally and was wanted for the alleged murder of two gang members in Mexico.

On May 24 in Splendora, ERO Houston officers, in conjunction with local law enforcement, arrested a 21-year-old Mexican national wanted on homicide charges in Veracruz, Mexico. The arrest came after ERO officials in Mexico City and the U.S. Marshals Service alerted officers that the fugitive was residing illegally in Splendora.

In southwest Houston on June 3, ERO Houston apprehended a 42-year-old Honduran national wanted for homicide in North Carolina. Officers captured the individual within seven hours after learning from ERO Atlanta that the fugitive had fled to Houston.

On June 4, fugitive operations officers with ERO Waco arrested a previously removed 41-year-old Mexican national wanted in Mexico for homicide after receiving information from NCATC 12 days earlier that the fugitive was living in Waco illegally.

In conjunction with the Splendora Police Department, ERO Houston apprehended in Splendora a three-time voluntarily returned 40-year-old Mexican national, who was wanted for homicide in Mexico, on June 7.

“The ability of ERO Houston and ERO Waco fugitive operations officers to quickly translate intelligence into actionable leads that result in the arrest and removal of dangerous foreign fugitives and other criminal noncitizens from the community is unparalleled across the country,” said ERO Houston Field Office Director Bret A. Bradford.

As previously reported by Texas Scorecard, ERO New York City officers arrested a 21-year-old Venezuelan national for assaulting a New York City police officer in late April. The individual had six prior arrests, but local jurisdictions ignored ICE detainers and released him from custody each time.

Additionally, in Chicago in early March, ERO officers arrested a 29-year-old Venezuelan national and Tren de Aragua gang member who crossed into Texas illegally.

According to the ICE website, one of “ERO’s most important law enforcement functions involves removing high priority noncitizens who threaten public safety and national security.”

However, U.S. border agents reportedly have difficulty vetting illegal border crossers for criminal backgrounds and gang activity due to a lack of assistance from many countries, including Venezuela.

Debra McClure

Debra McClure is a contract writer for Texas Scorecard. She is also a former teacher.

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