by | Published
Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) San Antonio, in cooperation with ERO El Paso, successfully deported Francisco Javier Valenzuela Quezada, a 57-year-old Mexican citizen with a final order of removal on September 14. Valenzuela had been sought by Mexican law enforcement for aggravated sexual assault.
"We are grateful for the joint collaboration of our officers and the El Paso officers in removing this fugitive noncitizen to Mexico," stated ERO San Antonio interim Field Office Director Garrett Ripa. "The joint efforts of our offices help make our communities safer."
Valenzuela had entered the United States through the Presidio Port of Entry in Presidio, Texas, on March 4, as a nonimmigrant with authorization to remain until September 3, 2023. However, on March 10, the U.S. State Department revoked his permission after discovering his wanted status in Mexico.
On March 17, ERO San Antonio officers located and apprehended Valenzuela in San Antonio, following a referral from the U.S. Marshals Service. Subsequently, he was issued a notice to appear before an immigration judge, and he was transferred to the South Texas ICE Processing Center to await immigration proceedings.
An immigration judge from the Department of Justice's Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) ordered Valenzuela's removal from the United States to Mexico on August 7.
Valenzuela was transferred to ERO El Paso on September 7, where he awaited his final removal from the United States. This removal was executed on September 14.
It is important to note that the EOIR operates independently from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Immigration judges make decisions based on individual cases, determining whether a noncitizen is subject to a final order of removal or eligible for certain forms of relief from removal. ICE officers then carry out the removal for those subject to such orders.
ERO is one of ICE's operational directorates, responsible for domestic immigration enforcement. Their mission is to safeguard the homeland by arresting and removing individuals who threaten the safety of U.S. communities and the integrity of immigration laws. ERO focuses on interior enforcement operations, managing detained and non-detained populations, and repatriating noncitizens with final removal orders. The directorate comprises more than 7,700 personnel across various locations, including field offices, overseas postings, and temporary assignments along the border.
