Over 300 immigration-related charges filed in ongoing federal effort to secure southern border
Houston, Texas – Federal authorities have filed 300 cases involving 302 individuals in a concentrated, week-long crackdown on illegal border activity and immigration crimes. The announcement, made by U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei, underscores the Southern District of Texas’s ongoing mission to strengthen border security through targeted prosecution and multi-agency coordination.
The enforcement push, spanning May 2 through May 8, is part of Operation Take Back America, a sweeping Department of Justice initiative aimed at dismantling transnational criminal networks, combating illegal immigration, and protecting public safety.
Wide Range of Charges Filed
Among the individuals charged, 93 face allegations of illegally reentering the United States, many of whom have previous felony convictions for serious offenses, including narcotics and prior immigration crimes. Another 193 individuals were charged with illegally entering the country, and 11 cases involved allegations of human smuggling. The remaining cases cover a variety of other immigration-related violations.
Several cases highlight the repeat nature of some offenders. Milton Elias Lara-Lara and Alejandro Tamayo-Velazquez, both convicted felons, were discovered near Roma, Texas, after having been previously deported. One was linked to fentanyl-related crimes, the other to marijuana offenses, according to court documents.
In another instance, Marco Antonio Rangel-Hernandez and Jose Guadalupe Valero-Lavanzate, both Mexican nationals, were charged with unlawful reentry after serving prior federal sentences for the same offense. Prosecutors say their continued return to the U.S. represents a deliberate defiance of immigration law.
Failure to Register Leads to Conviction
Authorities also reported charges filed against individuals for failing to comply with mandatory registration and fingerprinting procedures upon illegal entry. Elver Emmanual Ollervidez-Tapia admitted he crossed the Rio Grande River illegally and neglected to register as required. He has since pleaded guilty to both failure to register and illegal entry.
Repeat Offenders Facing Serious Penalties
In one of the more serious outcomes of the week, a five-time DUI offender, identified as Isidor Lagunas-Estrada, was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison. He had previously been deported following his fourth DUI conviction in 2020, but later returned to the U.S. illegally. He was arrested again in October 2022, and eventually convicted of a fifth DUI. The court cited the danger of his continued behavior, his lack of respect for the law, and the need for deterrence as factors in determining the prison term.
Another case involved an alleged attempt to smuggle stolen vehicles to Mexico, reportedly on behalf of the Gulf Cartel. Authorities say Angel David Salas-Herrera was found in possession of a stolen Jeep Gladiator along with multiple key fobs and a device used to program them. Investigators also recovered two additional stolen vehicles, believed to have been intended for cartel export. If convicted, Salas-Herrera could face up to 10 years in federal prison.
Armed Smuggling Operation Busted in Brownsville
An armed smuggling operation uncovered in Brownsville led to charges against Alejandro Ramirez-Carranza, a repeat illegal alien and river guide from Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico. He admitted to conspiring with Issac Azuara-Vasquez to smuggle illegal immigrants into the U.S. via boat on the Rio Grande, then transporting them in the bed of a truck. Ramirez-Carranza pleaded guilty to human smuggling, illegal reentry, and being an alien in possession of a firearm. His co-conspirator, Azuara-Vasquez, also pleaded guilty on April 10 to related charges, including selling a firearm to an illegal alien.
Multi-Agency Effort Behind the Cases
The cases were the result of collaboration among several federal law enforcement agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) – Homeland Security Investigations, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), U.S. Marshals Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Support also came from state and local law enforcement agencies.
Part of a Broader National Strategy
These prosecutions are part of Operation Take Back America, which consolidates federal resources to fight illegal immigration, drug cartels, and violent crime. The initiative is powered by programs such as the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhoods, with the Southern District of Texas leading efforts along the border.
Covering 43 counties and more than nine million residents across 44,000 square miles, SDTX remains one of the busiest federal districts in the nation, with Assistant U.S. Attorneys in Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen, and Laredo working closely with law enforcement partners to prosecute high-impact federal crimes.
