Western Texas federal prosecutors file close to 200 immigration-related charges over seven-day span

San Antonio – Federal prosecutors in the Western District of Texas filed 192 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases between January 23 and January 29, as announced by U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons. The cases targeted individuals involved in human smuggling and others who had illegally re-entered the country despite previous deportations, many with prior convictions for violent crimes and DWIs.

Arrests Linked to Smuggling Rings and Repeat Offenders

Among those charged was Aurelio Murillo-Ruedas, a Mexican national arrested in Broadview, Illinois, near Chicago, on January 22. Murillo-Ruedas became the subject of an investigation after U.S. Border Patrol agents and ICE Homeland Security Investigations uncovered 26 illegal aliens inside a stash house in El Paso on May 1, 2025. According to a criminal affidavit, Murillo-Ruedas was identified through WhatsApp messages, where he reportedly discussed 12 smuggling attempts and sent a video of himself driving through snow near Chicago. A foot guide arrested in November 2024 also identified Murillo-Ruedas as his employer. He was allegedly paid between “$6,500 to $7,000 for each illegal alien before he paid his associates” and is charged with bringing in or harboring aliens.

Jose Ozuna-Moreno was arrested near the Calamity Gap area by Border Patrol agents after footprints were spotted leading north. He was found with eight illegal aliens and admitted to being the group’s guide, reportedly in exchange for a reduced smuggling fee. He now faces similar charges for harboring aliens.

Offenders With Violent Histories

ICE also arrested Jose Angel Alvarado-Reyes in El Paso during a worksite enforcement operation. Alvarado-Reyes, who had been deported three times—most recently in 2005—has prior convictions for sexual assault and illegal re-entry. He has once again been charged with illegal re-entry.

Fredy Saligan-Perez was detained near the Ysleta Port of Entry after re-entering the U.S. unlawfully. He had been deported in October 2025 through Calexico, California. In March 2025, he was convicted in Utah for “one count of child abuse with injury and one count of assault.”

Meanwhile, Martin Vaquera-Garcia was intercepted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Eagle Pass Port of Entry. He was allegedly attempting to smuggle a 9mm handgun and four magazines into Mexico, hiding the weapon in his medical boot and placing the magazines in a suitcase. Vaquera-Garcia admitted he was expecting to be paid “$150 for smuggling the firearm.”

Another arrest in Eagle Pass involved Salvadoran national Danys Ricardo Martinez-Lazo, previously convicted in Maryland for negligent manslaughter and sentenced to three years in prison. He was removed to El Salvador in November and charged with illegal re-entry.

Also apprehended in Eagle Pass was Ramon Mendez-Escamilla, a Mexican national with three prior removals. He has previous convictions for two DWIs and an assault on a family member. He was charged once again with illegal re-entry.

In Pflugerville, Texas, Edgar Martinez Rivera was arrested after a traffic stop led police to discover a fraudulent passport. He had two previous removals, most recently in January 2025, and prior convictions for theft, burglary, and DWIs.

National Initiative Targeting Transnational Crime

All these cases were coordinated with support from ICE, U.S. Border Patrol, the DEA, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, ATF, and various local law enforcement agencies. These prosecutions fall under Operation Take Back America, a federal initiative aiming to “repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.”

The Western District of Texas spans 68 counties, covering nearly 93,000 square miles and serving a population of approximately 7.6 million. It includes major cities such as San Antonio, Austin, and El Paso, and shares 660 miles of border with Mexico.