Amidst escalating efforts to clamp down on illegal immigration, the Department of Justice has announced that this past week, federal prosecutors have brought charges against 21 individuals accused of re-entering the U.S. after being deported, according to a news release. Several of those charged had previous felony convictions, ranging from alien smuggling and burglary to grand theft and assault with a deadly weapon.
Under U.S. law, the act of re-entering the country after removal can lead to a two-year federal prison sentence, with even harsher penalties—up to ten years—for those previously convicted of a felony, and up to twenty years for those with an aggravated felony on their record. For example, David Casas-Herrera, one of the defendants, has a history of alien smuggling convictions and has been deported multiple times over the span of two decades.
In one detailed case, Marta Stoican faces charges after being arrested on suspicion of burglary by the Baldwin Park Police Department on April 5. Despite being removed from the U.S. less than three years prior, Stoican's criminal history includes theft-related offenses dating back to 2017, as stated in the DOJ news release. Another individual, Juan Solorzano Reyes, was charged post-conviction for a litany of serious crimes including assault with a deadly weapon.
The overarching operation behind these charges is Operation Take Back America, spearheaded by federal agencies with the aim of what is described as repelling "the invasion of illegal immigration," tackling cartels, and safeguarding communities from violent crime. The operation aligns the combined efforts of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Homeland Security Investigations play a pivotal role, the DOJ news release outlines, in driving these investigations forward.
For those closely monitoring the unfoldment of Operation Take Back America, the charges signal a reinforced message from federal law enforcement: illegal re-entry will not be overlooked and the prosecutorial arm will reach out to uphold the integrity of the nation's borders. Contacted for information, Public Information Officer Ciaran McEvoy provided details of the cases and confirmed the ongoing commitment of the DOJ in these initiatives, as outlined in the news release.
