The landscape of immigration enforcement remains a contentious battlefield, as the United States Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Ohio has just disclosed that two separate cases involving illegal reentry by Mexican nationals have culminated in grand jury indictments. According to an official statement on the U.S. Attorney's Office's website, Pedro Martinez-Garcia, 28, and Bersain Alvarez-Lopez, 37, face serious charges under Title 8, USC 1326.
Found in Marion, Ohio, last Sunday, Martinez-Garcia is now facing one count of illegal reentry following two previous deportations, the most recent of which was conducted on Oct. 11, 2017. Being charged without the consent of the U.S. Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security for readmission, the fabric of these proceedings reflects the strict adherence to legal frameworks surrounding immigration. Alvarez-Lopez, discovered in Norwalk, Ohio, on May 9, has been similarly charged with illegal reentry after three prior removals, the latest occurring on Jan. 15, 2019.
Moreover, beyond the charge of illegal reentry, Alvarez-Lopez faces additional accusations of identity fraud. He reportedly possessed a fraudulent permanent resident card and a counterfeit Social Security card, constituting two counts in violation of Title 18, USC 1546(a), and is further accused of misusing a Social Security number, which infringes upon Title 42, USC 408(a)(7)(B). The investigations leading to the indictments were an effort undertaken by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, in collaboration with U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Steering the prosecution is Assistant U.S. Attorney Ava Rotell Dustin.
