Juan Nino Lara/Mexico/Marijuana Possession

Juan Nino Lara, a Mexico national found to be in the country illegally, was arrested in Dallas, Texas, on charges of marijuana possession.

The charges against Lara carry criminal penalties under state law and independently provide grounds for federal immigration action. State prosecutors handle the criminal case while federal immigration authorities pursue removal in a separate proceeding before an immigration judge. Both matters proceed simultaneously with the immigration court’s removal determination made independently of any criminal verdict.

Lara remains in ICE custody pending a hearing before a federal immigration judge. No trial date on the criminal charges has been announced publicly. If the immigration court orders removal, Lara would be returned to Mexico.