by Jonathan Eberle | Jul 4, 2025 | News
By Jonathan Eberle |
Federal prosecutors in Arizona charged 164 individuals last week with immigration-related offenses as part of a concentrated enforcement effort targeting illegal entry, re-entry, and human smuggling. The charges stem from coordinated operations that took place from June 21 through June 27, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona.
The bulk of the cases involved illegal re-entry by previously deported individuals (84 cases) and unlawful entry into the United States (71 cases). Additionally, nine people were charged with smuggling others into or through Arizona.
The enforcement activity is part of Operation Take Back America, a national Department of Justice initiative aimed at combating illegal immigration, dismantling transnational criminal organizations, and increasing public safety. The operation brings together resources from federal law enforcement agencies, including U.S. Border Patrol, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the FBI, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, and the ATF.
Among the individuals charged is Jesus Alfred Salazar-Ruiz, who allegedly attempted to flee Border Patrol agents near the U.S.–Mexico border. Authorities say Salazar-Ruiz crashed through fencing and sped down a dirt road before abandoning his vehicle. He was later found with the vehicle’s keys in his possession, and three illegal alien passengers were also located. Salazar-Ruiz faces charges of transporting illegal aliens for profit.
In a separate case, Miguel Angel Mezo-Antele, a Mexican national, was apprehended while allegedly transporting four illegal individuals across Arizona with plans to drop them off in California and Oregon. He has been charged with transportation of an illegal alien.
Also charged was Dalesio Hernandez-Bautista, who had previously been removed from the United States in 2018 after a felony manslaughter conviction in Arizona. He now faces charges of illegal re-entry.
The week-long enforcement sweep is one of the latest steps in a broader federal effort to deter unlawful immigration and hold repeat offenders and human smugglers accountable. Officials say these operations will continue in the months ahead as part of a strategy that combines legal prosecution with coordinated federal law enforcement resources.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Matthew Holloway | May 26, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
A Mexican national identified as Jose Herrera Daniel, 56, of Agua Prieta, Sonora, Mexico, was arrested on May 13th during a brazen attempt to smuggle over 6,000 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition from Arizona into Mexico via the Douglas Port of Entry. Daniel was charged the next day for attempting to illegally export ammunition from the United States into Mexico as part of “Operation Take Back America” per the Department of Justice.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO), District of Arizona, the criminal complaint against the accused smuggler alleges that during a search of Daniel’s vehicle at the Port of Entry in Douglas, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection K-9 officer trained to detect weapons, ammunition, and currency alerted handlers to the vehicle. The suspect’s vehicle was then sent through a scanner which detected multiple anomalies in both the driver and passenger side rocker panels leading to a physical search that yielded thousands of rounds of ammunition hidden in plastic bags.
As described by the USAO, Operation Take Back America is “a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice 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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).”
The arrest and charge of Daniel would appear to align with an internal memo from Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche describing the operation.
The memo from Blanche directs the DOJ to pursue charges for the most serious, readily provable offense and emphasizes “the Department’s focus on illegal immigration, human trafficking and smuggling, and crimes by Cartels and TCOs such as Tren de Aragua (TdA) and Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13).”
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Jonathan Eberle | May 25, 2025 | News
By Jonathan Eberle |
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona announced Friday that 310 individuals were charged with immigration-related offenses between May 10 and May 16, as part of a weeklong federal enforcement initiative aimed at combating illegal immigration and associated criminal activity.
According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the charges include 125 cases involving illegal reentry into the United States and 170 cases of illegal entry. An additional 15 individuals were charged with human smuggling offenses, allegedly transporting undocumented immigrants into or within Arizona.
The enforcement actions were supported by a broad coalition of federal agencies, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
All charges were filed via criminal complaint. As noted in the release, a criminal complaint is a formal accusation and does not imply guilt; individuals charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
The cases fall under Operation Take Back America, a Department of Justice initiative described as targeting illegal immigration, cartel activity, and transnational crime. The operation coordinates federal resources, including those from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
Officials have characterized the initiative as part of a broader strategy to “repel the invasion of illegal immigration” and dismantle transnational criminal organizations. The U.S. Attorney’s Office did not indicate how many of those charged remain in custody or when initial court appearances are scheduled. Further proceedings will be held in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
