Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of Texas announced they have now filed more than 20,000 immigration-related criminal cases since the launch of Operation Take Back America, including 484 new defendants charged during the most recent reporting week.
The figures reflect the scale of federal immigration enforcement activity along the southwest border, where prosecutors continue handling large volumes of illegal entry, illegal reentry, smuggling, and related criminal cases.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas, prosecutors have filed 20,069 cases against 20,374 individuals since the initiative began. Between April 17 and April 23 alone, 484 individuals were charged.
That weekly total included 175 charged with illegal entry, 275 charged with felony reentry after prior removal, 33 charged in human smuggling cases, and one additional immigration-related offense, according to federal officials.
Prosecutors said many defendants charged during the week had prior criminal histories involving narcotics offenses, violent crimes, sexual offenses, and prior immigration violations.
Among those charged was Fernando Flores-Bautista, a Mexican national accused of illegally reentering the United States after previously being removed March 29. Federal officials said he also has a prior conviction for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
Authorities also charged Carlos Guadalupe Aquino-Pacheco, another Mexican national, after officers encountered him during a traffic stop near McAllen. Court records cited by prosecutors allege he has a prior conviction for interference with commerce by threats or violence and had previously been removed in October 2023.
Two additional defendants charged with felony reentry after prior removal were identified as Dionicio Rodriguez-Hernandez and Francisco Javier Velasquez-Vela. Prosecutors said prior convictions in those cases include transporting or harboring aliens, illegal reentry, and aggravated burglary.
Federal officials said each of those defendants could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
The district also highlighted several completed prosecutions during the same period. Eight members of Mara Salvatrucha, also known as MS-13, received federal prison sentences ranging from 35 to 50 years for their roles in a racketeering conspiracy involving witness tampering and multiple murders.
In a separate case, Roma resident Lizandro Monroy was sentenced to 37 months in prison after being convicted of using a minor in a human smuggling scheme. Prosecutors said Monroy directed a 15-year-old to pick up three migrants after a raft crossing and later fled from a traffic stop, leading to a pursuit and crash that injured one person.
The Southern District of Texas is one of the busiest federal districts in the country, covering 43 counties and more than 10 million residents. Prosecutors said the district works closely with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service, and state and local agencies.
Federal officials said enforcement efforts remain focused on immigration offenses, organized smuggling operations, and defendants with serious criminal histories.
