(Texas Scorecard) – A 19-year-old illegal alien accused of raping a Maryland resident has been arrested in Baltimore.
Henry Argueta-Tobar from Guatemala was first apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol on May 21, 2019 after he crossed into Texas at El Paso as an accompanied minor. He was then given an order to appear before an immigration judge from the U.S. Department of Justice.
Two days after his arrest, Argueta-Tobar’s custody was transferred to Enforcement and Removal Operations El Paso—which released him into the country on an order of recognizance while his case was processed.
On December 22, 2023, he was arrested again and charged with second degree rape. Five days later, an immigration detainer was levied against Argueta-Tobar with the Charles County Detention Center in La Plata, Maryland. However, the county detention center flouted the immigration detainer, and he was released into the country on a reportedly unknown date.
However, this past February, the DOJ ordered Argueta-Tobar be deported and sent back to Guatemala.
“On July 3, the Circuit Court for Charles County convicted Argueta of rape in the second degree and sentenced him to 20 years imprisonment followed by five years of supervised probation,” U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement reports. “The court then suspended all but 190 days of the prison sentence.”
Argueta-Tobar was apprehended once more and remains in custody.
Meanwhile, in Houston, ICE removed a 40-year-old illegal alien from the country. Juan Jose Valero Cruz, wanted for homicide in Mexico, was extradited from Laredo and handed over to Mexican law enforcement.
Valero Cruz crossed into the United States illegally on four different occasions. In May 2003, he entered the country at Eagle Pass. Upon encountering Border Patrol, he voluntarily went back to Mexico. He crossed the border again in 2008 near Laredo, and once more voluntarily returned to Mexico.
In April 2021, Valero Cruz crossed again at a location close to Eagle Pass. After having been arrested near Carrizo Springs, he was removed from the country under Title 42, according to ICE.
At an unknown date, Valero Cruz entered the country again and evaded capture. However, ERO Houston came across information in January of this year indicating that he was residing within the area. He had an active, outstanding warrant in Mexico for homicide.
Over the course of the summer months, Valero Cruz was taken into custody, identified as the potential murder suspect, and ordered to be removed and transferred to Mexican authorities.
“The repatriation of this foreign fugitive would not have been possible without the outstanding support that we receive from our local partners,” stated ERO Houston Field Office Director Bret A. Bradford.
“By working together, we were able to quickly remove him from the local community before he could present a threat to public safety,” he continued.