Several individuals residing unlawfully in the greater Houston area have been taken into custody for illegal reentry into the United States after removal, according to an announcement from U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
The recent enforcement actions resulted in the arrests of Guatemalan nationals Karen Paola Cabeza-Magana, also known as Karen Hernandez, 29, and Julio Gonzalez-Portillo, 54; Mexican nationals David Rodriguez Solis, 52, and Jose Garcia Zamora, 39; and Salvadoran national Jose Mario Alvarado, also known as Julio Mario Alvarado, 57. These individuals remain in custody pending further criminal proceedings.
The foreign nationals charged are from Mexico, El Salvador, and Guatemala. Each allegedly has convictions for state crimes including assault and aggravated assault of a family member, driving under the influence, and narcotics offenses. All were reportedly on probation or serving a term of supervision at the time of their arrest and had previously been removed from the United States.
“Our office created Operation Pick-Off based upon an extremely simple concept—that a state probation sentence should not be a sanctuary from federal immigration laws. Take note, the Southern District of Texas is not a safe harbor for those who enter the United States illegally and commit crimes against our citizens,” said Ganjei. “Now, these offenders, who so brazenly flouted our laws, have earned themselves a jail stay before their one-way flight home. My office promised to bring this targeted operation to every corner of the district. Promise kept.”
FBI Houston Special Agent in Charge Jason Hudson stated: “FBI Houston is levering its intelligence and investigative resources to locate and apprehend individuals who have allegedly committed various crimes and are residing unlawfully in the greater Houston area. All these individuals were previously convicted, deported, and re-entered the United States illegally.” He added: “Through Operation Pick-Off, FBI Houston is partnering with the Department of Homeland Security and federal prosecutors to remove these alleged offenders from our Texas communities.”
Gabriel Martinez, acting Field Office Director for Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Houston division commented: “Each of the criminal illegal aliens targeted under this operation have allegedly entered the U.S. at least once if not multiple times unlawfully, and have gone on to commit criminal offenses in our local communities.” Martinez continued: “By working together with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to expand a commonsense operation like this to the Houston area we can bring an end to this lawlessness and ensure these alleged criminal aliens are held accountable for their actions.”
ICE – Homeland Security Investigations acting Special Agent in Charge Erin Burke said: “Houston’s close proximity to the Southern border has made it a magnet for dangerous criminal illegal aliens who have illegally reentered the United States multiple times and endanger public safety.” She added: “By expanding this operation to the area and bringing together resources and expertise of HSI FBI ERO we will be better postured to protect local community from harm hold these criminal illegal aliens accountable for brazenly flouting our nation’s system of laws.”
Operation Pick-Off began as a multi-agency immigration enforcement initiative targeting criminal illegal aliens on state probation or supervision in August 2025 in Rio Grande Valley. The program now includes Harris Fort Bend Montgomery counties within the Southern District of Texas, which encompasses offices in several cities such as Houston Galveston Corpus Christi Laredo McAllen Brownsville (source). The district covers 43 counties with more than nine million residents (details here), employing over 200 attorneys focused on prosecuting federal crimes (see official website). The U.S. Attorney’s office serves under direction from both regional leadership—including previous leaders Alamdar Hamdani (2022-2025) (history page)—and ultimately reports up through the Department of Justice.
Enforcement efforts are ongoing with authorities engaging in rolling arrests prosecutions as part of continuous operations across regions within southern Texas.
Assistant U.S. attorneys from Houston Division are prosecuting these cases while ICE-ERO FBI-Houston Field Office conducted investigations along with ICE-HSI.
This effort forms part of Operation Take Back America—a nationwide initiative led by Department of Justice aimed at countering illegal immigration organized crime protecting communities against violent crime perpetrators.
A criminal complaint or indictment represents only an accusation; defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty through due process.
