Oscuar Santos/El Salvador/Robbery

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested Oscuar Santos in Ranson, West Virginia. The El Salvador national — here illegally — faces charges of robbery.

Aggravated assault and robbery charges involving illegal aliens often result in dual enforcement — a criminal prosecution at the state level alongside a federal immigration removal proceeding that moves on an independent timeline. Violent crime arrests of this kind are treated as high-priority by law enforcement, and when the individual involved has no lawful status, immigration authorities typically file immediate detainers to prevent release pending both the criminal case and a separate hearing before an immigration judge. Santos now faces potential consequences from both proceedings simultaneously.

Federal authorities have placed Santos in immigration detention pending the outcome of removal proceedings. A Department of Justice immigration court will determine whether Santos is deported to El Salvador.