U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), in collaboration with the Drug Enforcement Administration, has taken into custody Roxana Beatriz Ayala-Duran, a 41-year-old Salvadoran national who was residing illegally in the United States and had previously been convicted of assault in Virginia. The arrest occurred in Alexandria on Feb. 25, as disclosed in a press release from ICE. "The apprehension of Roxana Beatriz Ayala-Duran shows ICE is dedicated to arresting and removing illegal alien offenders from our Washington, D.C. and Virginia communities," stated ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Washington, D.C. Field Office Director Russ Hott in a statement obtained by ICE. "Ms. Ayala was convicted of a violent crime against a Virginia resident that we will not tolerate."
Previously, the U.S. Border Patrol had arrested Ayala near Douglas, Arizona, on Sept. 14, 2004, after she was found to illegally enter the United States. The very next day, she was issued a notice to appear before a Department of Justice immigration judge. The judge eventually ordered Ayala to be removed from the country to El Salvador on Dec. 22, 2004. However, she evidently remained in the United States, leading to her later conviction by the Alexandria General District Court for assault on August 10, 2020. The court, while sentencing her to 30 days of incarceration, then chose to suspend the entire sentence.
The actions by ICE highlight the agency's ongoing efforts to swiftly identify and deport individuals who have not only crossed U.S. borders illegally but also have committed crimes while residing in the country. The focus on removing those convicted of violent crimes, in particular, aims to underscore the commitment to public safety in local communities. "The officers of ICE remain dedicated to prioritizing the safety of our public," Hott emphasized. This latest operation in Virginia resonates with ICE's broader mission to enforce the immigration laws of the United States and the consequent removal proceedings that follow criminal convictions.
As the case with Ayala further unfolds, it will likely continue to serve as a point of reference for discussions around immigration policy and the intersection of criminal law enforcement with the procedures managed by ICE. While operations like these are routine for ICE, they often garner significant attention due to the complex narratives and human lives they implicate -- narratives that are frequently more intricate than the public discourse might initially reveal. The release about Ayala's arrest ends with a reaffirmation of ICE's stance, "Ms. Ayala was convicted of a violent crime against a Virginia resident that we will not tolerate."
