Edwin Molina-Blanco/El Salvador/Drug Possession, Burglary, Gang Affiliation

Edwin Molina-Blanco, a El Salvador national who had been in the United States illegally, was taken into custody by ICE agents in Carlsbad, New Mexico, on charges of unlawful reentry, drug possession, burglary, gang affiliation.

While possession charges are generally less severe than trafficking, they can still serve as the basis for federal immigration enforcement. Molina-Blanco’s arrest has initiated both a criminal case and a separate removal proceeding that will move forward on its own timeline.

Molina-Blanco is currently in federal immigration custody awaiting a hearing before a Department of Justice immigration judge, which will determine whether removal to El Salvador is ordered.