Federal authorities in the Southern District of Texas have filed 473 cases related to immigration and related offenses between February 20 and 26, according to an announcement by U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Among those charged are 23 individuals accused of human smuggling. The district also filed 202 criminal complaints for illegal entry, while 244 people face felony reentry charges after prior removal from the United States. Many of these individuals have previous convictions for felonies including narcotics, violent crime, and other immigration-related crimes.
Three men from El Salvador, Mexico, and Honduras were charged with felony reentry after removal. Joel Antonio Alvarez-Reyes of El Salvador and Arturo Corona-Santiago of Mexico both have burglary convictions and had previously been removed from the country before being found in the McAllen area without legal authorization. Ariel Lazaro Hernandez-Misiara of Honduras, who has a conviction for cocaine trafficking, was found near Roma after having been removed on January 2. If convicted, each faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
A federal jury in Corpus Christi found Ludivina Vasquez-Salinas, a resident of Penitas aged 63, guilty of transporting an illegal alien further into the United States. On May 7, 2025, authorities encountered her driving a white SUV with movement observed beneath a blanket on the rear floorboard. Vasquez-Salinas initially claimed only she and her daughter were present but later admitted knowing about the illegal alien in her vehicle and transporting them past a checkpoint. The jury reached its verdict after deliberating for just 25 minutes.
In Houston, two Mexican nationals—Raymundo Pecina-Lopez and Samuel Moreno-Soto—were sentenced to federal prison for unlawfully reentering the country. Pecina-Lopez received a sentence of 39 months; Moreno-Soto received 18 months. Both have previous convictions for assault of a family member and narcotics offenses.
Honduran nationals Elmer Adalid Alonzo-Zelaya and Cristian Jose Ayestas-Argueta were also ordered to prison for illegal reentry after removal. Alonzo-Zelaya has convictions for aggravated assault as well as obstruction of an officer and driving without a valid license; Ayestas-Argueta has convictions for assault of a family member and trespassing. Mexican national Edgar Jaramillo-Escobar was also sentenced in Houston following previous convictions for illegal reentry into the United States and assault causing bodily injury.
Two additional sentencings took place in Corpus Christi involving Mexican nationals Serafin Garcia-Rodriguez and Hugo Balderas Juarez. Both have prior convictions for illegally entering or reentering the United States as well as drug charges; Juarez also has a conviction for driving under the influence.
Veronica Michelle Torres pleaded guilty in Houston to illegal reentry after being discovered unlawfully present in the country. Records show she has felony convictions including credit card abuse and unlawful carrying of a weapon; she now faces up to ten years in prison.
These cases were referred or supported by several federal law enforcement agencies such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) – Homeland Security Investigations, ICE – Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), along with state and local partners.
The actions are part of Operation Take Back America—a nationwide initiative that uses Department of Justice resources “to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.”
“Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district,” said Ganjei. “Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal histories, including convictions for human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.”
The Southern District is one of the busiest offices nationally within its jurisdiction over more than nine million people across 43 counties covering approximately 44,000 square miles. It employs more than 200 attorneys focused on prosecuting federal crimes or handling civil matters on behalf of the government (official website). Offices are located throughout Houston, Galveston, Corpus Christi, Laredo, McAllen, Brownsville (official website).
According to its official history page, former leaders include Alamdar Hamdani (2022–2025) among others.
An indictment or criminal complaint is considered only an accusation; defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty through due process.
