(Texas Scorecard) – FBI Houston is hunting Giovanni Vicente Mosquera Serrano, a top leader in the brutal Tren de Aragua gang. Meanwhile, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement continues to sweep up high-risk illegal aliens—including two in Houston.
The FBI’s Houston field office has announced a $3 million reward for information leading to the arrest of Giovanni Vicente Mosquera Serrano, the alleged second-in-command of the Venezuelan criminal organization Tren de Aragua. Serrano, 37, has also been added to the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted Fugitives list—the first known member of the gang to receive that designation.
During a press conference on Monday, FBI Houston Special Agent in Charge Doug Williams said, “Giovanni Vicente Mosquera Serrano’s leadership fuels an organization that thrives on brutal murders, forced prostitution, kidnappings, and the destruction of lives across continents. Today’s announcement makes it clear: no border will shield him from justice.”
Separately, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced that ICE had arrested 11 Iranian illegal aliens, including two in Houston. Among those arrested across the country were men with ties to Hezbollah, a known or suspected terrorist, and a former Iranian army sniper.
In Houston, ICE agents arrested Hamid Reza Bayat and Behzad Sepehrian Bahary Nejad. Bayat had been ordered removed from the United States nearly 20 years ago by an immigration judge. He has since been convicted on two separate occasions for drug-related offenses and for driving on a suspended license.
Nejad entered the country in 2016 on a student visa but was arrested the following year for assaulting a family member by impeding breathing. His wife later obtained a restraining order, alleging Nejad had threatened her and her family in Iran.
In 2018, after Nejad was placed on academic suspension, his student status was terminated. He was ordered removed from the U.S. in 2019 but filed a motion to reopen the case, which was later denied.
These developments coincide with continued cooperation between the Houston Police Department and ICE. While Mayor John Whitmire has repeatedly stated that the Houston Police Department does not carry out the work of federal immigration authorities, recent actions suggest exceptions are made when legal requirements are involved.
In a recent incident, an illegal alien from El Salvador contacted HPD to report a domestic violence situation. During the investigation, officers performed a routine background check and discovered the woman had an active removal order. ICE was subsequently notified.
Amy Smith, deputy director of the Harris County Domestic Violence Coordinating Council, voiced concern over the implications for victims in immigrant communities. “Anecdotally, we know there’s a huge fear in the immigrant community about reporting any type of incident to law enforcement because of the fear of being deported,” she said.
HPD defended the officer’s handling of the case, citing department policy.
An HPD spokesperson explained, “An officer responding to an assault call conducted a routine criminal history check on the reportee and discovered she had an active ICE warrant. As with any law enforcement warrant, the officer is required to notify the appropriate agency. The officer continued to assist the reportee professionally, providing her with victim support resources and maintaining a high level of service.”