Federal immigration authorities have arrested a Salvadoran national with a violent criminal history who was accused of stalking a U.S. government official and her family, according to a Department of Homeland Security announcement Friday.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement took Jose Madrid Reyes, an illegal alien from El Salvador, into custody on July 12 following a Homeland Security Investigations probe into an alleged stalking incident involving a federal official. The victim, whose identity remains undisclosed for her protection, reported concerns for her personal safety and that of her child.
Reyes has a criminal record in Virginia dating back nearly two decades, with multiple convictions including assault and driving while intoxicated. According to DHS, he was convicted of DWI in 2006 in Prince William County, misdemeanor assault on a family member in 2017 in Fairfax County, and a second DWI in 2019, also in Fairfax County.
Despite a 2022 removal order from a federal immigration judge and a denied request for legal status in 2024, Reyes remained unlawfully in the United States. He is currently being held in ICE custody pending deportation proceedings.
“On July 12, ICE arrested Jose Madrid Reyes—a criminal illegal alien from El Salvador—who was suspected of stalking a U.S. federal official,” Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement. “We will not allow these predators to terrorize American citizens.”
McLaughlin also noted the broader threat posed to public safety, stating that ICE agents continue to face rising violence while conducting enforcement operations. She emphasized the agency’s commitment to removing criminal aliens with histories of violent or predatory behavior.
Reyes is expected to be removed from the United States in the coming days.
