During the week of August 22-28, authorities charged 356 individuals in the Southern District of Texas with immigration and related offenses. The announcement came from U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Of those charged, 180 people face allegations of illegally reentering the United States after removal, many with prior felony convictions that include narcotics, violent crime, sexual offenses, and other immigration-related crimes. Another 153 are accused of illegal entry into the country. Thirteen defendants were charged with human smuggling, while ten others face charges such as firearms violations and assaulting federal officers.
A portion of these cases stem from “Operation Pick-Off,” a new initiative focused on individuals residing illegally in the United States while serving probation for state crimes like drug offenses, human smuggling, fraud, burglary, and assault. Announced on August 25, this effort resulted in federal charges against 67 undocumented immigrants in the Rio Grande Valley area; according to authorities, 65 had returned to the U.S. after removal and then committed additional crimes.
“For those that want to come to this country without permission and then victimize American citizens once here, we are more than happy to accommodate them with a stay at a federal facility, followed by a one-way ticket home,” said Ganjei. “SDTX will not rest until we’ve brought Operation Pick-Off to each and every one of the Southern District’s 43 counties. If you’re here illegally and you commit crimes in our community, you can expect a visit from us, and that visit is going to come sooner rather than later. This is what Operation Take Back America looks like.”
Among recent cases are two Mexican nationals who had been removed in May but allegedly returned shortly afterward: Jairo Neftali Velasco-Gomez—who has a prior conviction for being an alien in possession of a firearm—and Luis Alberto Mejia-Bertrand—previously sentenced for transporting or harboring illegal aliens before his removal.
Three other Mexican nationals found near Edinburg also face charges following previous removals: Edgar Omar Gallegos-Aboytes and Monico Espinoza-Martinez have both been sentenced before for illegal reentry crimes; Julio Cesar Martinez-Arjona was previously convicted for assault of a family member.
Authorities located Honduran national Jose Alberto Medina-Atunez near Escobares; he had reportedly been removed from the U.S. after being convicted of possessing cocaine.
Further complaints involve three Mexican nationals—Angel Alejandro Salazar-Cantu, Alberto Karr-Magana, and Ramon Pena-Medina—each alleged to have prior convictions including transporting or harboring illegal aliens as well as firearms or drug offenses; all now face up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted for illegal reentry.
Federal law enforcement partners supporting these cases include 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 assistance from state and local agencies.
These actions are part of Operation Take Back America—a nationwide Department of Justice initiative aimed at countering illegal immigration activities by targeting cartels and transnational criminal organizations through coordinated resources such as Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhoods (https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf/about-ocdetf).
The Southern District’s current leadership has identified public safety—including border security—as top priorities. Increased enforcement efforts at both border areas and within district communities have led authorities to identify individuals involved in unlawful activity or serious criminal conduct such as human trafficking or violence against children across its jurisdiction.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas covers 43 counties across more than nine million residents over approximately 44,000 square miles (https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdtx). Assistant U.S. Attorneys operate out of Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen,and Laredo working closely with law enforcement partners at all levels.
Officials remind that an indictment or complaint is only an accusation—not evidence—and that defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty through due legal process.
