Yanet Castellanos/Mexico/Unlawful Use of a Financial Card

Yanet Castellanos, a thirty-one-year-old citizen of Mexico who is illegally present in the United States, was arrested by ICE Salt Lake City officers following her release from local custody in Davis County, Utah. Castellanos is currently facing pending criminal charges related to the unlawful use of a financial transaction card, stemming from an investigation into multiple fraudulent purchases made throughout the Salt Lake City metropolitan area in 2024.

According to local law enforcement reports, Castellanos was identified after a series of unauthorized transactions were linked to her from multiple victims. She was arrested by local police and booked on felony charges. During the booking process, her illegal immigration status was flagged, and ICE was notified. Officers with ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) subsequently issued an immigration detainer and took custody of Castellanos following her release from local jail on bond.

Further background checks confirmed that Castellanos entered the United States without inspection and does not have lawful immigration status. She has no pending applications for legal residency or other relief. ICE placed her into removal proceedings before an immigration judge, where she will remain in custody pending the outcome of her case.

Due to the financial nature of her criminal offense and her illegal presence in the country, Castellanos has been deemed an enforcement priority. ICE will continue to detain her throughout her immigration court proceedings unless otherwise ordered by the court.