Federal officials announced that 28 people have been taken into custody across South Texas as part of an ongoing enforcement effort targeting criminal illegal aliens. The arrests took place in Webb, La Salle, McMullen, Jim Hogg, and Zapata counties. The defendants are scheduled to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Brian Bajew in Laredo on Sept. 29.
The operation is part of Operation Pick-Off, a multi-agency initiative led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas and the FBI. First launched in August in the Rio Grande Valley, the initiative focuses on illegal aliens who remain in the country while serving probation for other state crimes. Nearly 80 people were arrested in McAllen and Brownsville earlier this year.
“States normally put offenders on probation or parole to give them a second chance. But when it comes to criminal illegal aliens, our focus should be repatriating them to their home country, rather than letting them walk the streets of our community to commit additional crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. “Today’s operation was a win for public safety, but we are not going to rest until we bring Pick-Off to all 43 counties of the Southern District of Texas. If you’re here illegally and have committed crimes in our communities, consider yourself warned. We are coming.”
According to court filings, 23 of the individuals arrested in Laredo were previously removed from the United States but returned illegally. Many were serving probation for convictions including drug offenses, human smuggling, fraud, burglary, and aggravated assault. One man had been convicted of murder and sentenced to 18 years in a Texas prison before being deported to Mexico; authorities said he illegally reentered the United States and was residing in Laredo. If convicted of federal reentry charges, he and others face up to 20 years in prison.
Law enforcement also detained five other individuals who were found to be illegally present in the country and who are expected to be removed immediately.
FBI San Antonio Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tapp said the operation underscored the importance of multi-agency coordination. “Operation Pick-Off reflects a unified and strategic law enforcement effort to protect the community from criminal illegal aliens. The FBI will continue to surge and mobilize resources to join our partners in protecting the homeland by enforcing our federal laws.”
Immigration and Customs Enforcement Enforcement and Removal Operations Harlingen Field Office Director Juan Agudelo echoed that message, calling the operation an example of a “whole-of-government approach” to public safety. “We are grateful for the collaborative efforts we saw today. This operation would not be possible without the support and assistance of the law enforcement partners we work with day in and day out.”
The sweep involved extensive cooperation between federal, state, and local agencies, including ICE, Border Patrol, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Customs and Border Protection, the Texas National Guard, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the Laredo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from the Laredo Division are prosecuting the cases.
