A Honduran national has been sentenced for illegal reentry into the United States after a removal, a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office Eastern District of Louisiana reported. Rolando Humberto Castillo-Bernardez, 41, faced the law again after pleading guilty to the offense, codified under Title 8 of the U.S. Code, Section 1326(a).
Castillo-Bernardez, found in Orleans Parish around July 15, was previously deported to Honduras on May 17, 2019. The penalty meted out to him was time served, along with a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. Post-sentencing, he is set to be handed over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to once again be deported to his home country. The effort to quickly and efficiently deport individuals such as Castillo-Bernardez is part and parcel of Operation Take Back America, a broad sweep targeting illegal immigration and organized crime.
The initiative, which spotlights the Department of Justice's commitment to repelling illegal immigration, aims to eliminate cartels and transnational criminal organizations that impact community safety. Operation Take Back America consolidates actions across the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood programs.
The acting U.S. Attorney, Michael M. Simpson, credited the Department of Homeland Security for their investigative work leading up to the sentencing. Assistant United States Attorney Spiro G. Latsis from the General Crimes Unit was responsible for overseeing the prosecution of the case. The push to secure the U.S. borders while safeguarding neighborhoods has been a focal point for such initiatives, which have seen an uptick in enforcement actions in recent years.
