A Guatemalan man has pled guilty to charges related to immigration violations in a federal court in Waco, as confirmed by U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. Pablo David Cajti-Tzoy was arrested in Temple by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Waco Fugitive Operations Team on June 21, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office indicate that Cajti-Tzoy entered the United States through Houston in October 2019 on a Temporary Agricultural Worker visa and was authorized to stay until January 3, 2020. His last known address was in Immokalee, Florida, but since December 2021, Cajti-Tzoy has been residing in Harker Heights, Texas, without notifying the proper authorities. While these offenses are considered misdemeanors, they can carry up to a maximum penalty of 30 days in federal prison.
Upon his arrest, Cajti-Tzoy was not carrying his alien registration card, commonly known as a Form I-94, a document required by law to be carried by visa holders. Moreover, he did not communicate a change of address to the Attorney General, a requirement that must be met within ten days of a move, as reported by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Ultimately, Cajti-Tzoy received a sentence of time-served from U.S. Magistrate Judge Derek T. Gilliland. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Frazier and forms a part of a larger initiative named Operation Take Back America. This operation aims to, as a statement by the Department of Justice describes, “repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from perpetrators of violent crime,” as per the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
This particular case sheds light on the broader efforts by the Justice Department to enforce immigration laws and crack down on unlawful entry and residency within the United States. ICE's investigation into Cajti-Tzoy's immigration violations aligns with the Department of Justice's concerted effort to streamline operations against illegal immigration and related criminal activities.
