(The Center Square) – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Dallas continue to track down violent offenders, including fugitives wanted in their home countries, for removal.
Earlier this month, they arrested Mexican national Manuel Tellezs, who was illegally living in Dallas after being arrested on murder charges in 2022. According to 265th District Court records, Tellez was arrested after he allegedly stabbed a man seven times, killing him. He then left the crime scene, returned with gasoline, doused the dead man’s body with it and set it on fire, the records say.
Tellez was initially charged with homicide but pleaded guilty to a lesser offense of manslaughter, received no prison time for this conviction and was released into the community.
“This is an egregious offender,” ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas acting Field Office Director Josh Johnson said, thanking federal partners for helping with his apprehension. Tellez remains in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.
In another case, ICE agents arrested a Rwandan fugitive, Dieudonne Ishimwe, in Fort Worth earlier this month. He is wanted for rape by Rwandan authorities since last October. Although ICE claims Ishimwe legally entered the U.S., he violated the terms of his admission and was living in Fort Worth “without authorization prior to his arrest.” The FBI assisted ICE with his apprehension. He remains in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.
In another case, ICE agents in Dallas removed Pakistani national Syed Rizvi, after U.S. intelligence sources identified him as a national security priority. Rizvi “was residing in Dallas, Texas without authorization prior to his removal,” ICE said. Although he legally entered the U.S. in 2017 in New York, “he violated the terms of his admission,” ICE said. He was arrested in January after a routine traffic stop and ordered for removal by an immigration judge in January.
In another case, ICE agents removed Mexican national Pedro Bailon, a convicted felon charged with second-degree murder. He illegally entered the U.S. near San Ysidro, California, as a gotaway in 1995 and has been illegally living in the U.S. ever since. In 2007, he was arrested by Wichita, Kansas, police on a charge of first-degree murder. In 2008, he was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 18 years in prison. ICE determined he was removable through federal law in 2008 but didn’t issue a final administrative removal order until February of this year. He was turned over to Mexican authorities without incident.
In another case, ICE-Dallas agents arrested Eritrean national Uqbasilassie Kiflemariam, a convicted rapist who failed to register as a sex offender. He was arrested in 2013 by Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, police on rape charges. He was convicted the next year on three counts in the first degree and sentenced to 10 years confinement with sex offender registration requirements. In 2022, an immigration judge ordered his removal. Last February, he was arrested in Kaufman County, Texas, for failing to comply with sex offender registration requirements. He remains in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.
In another case, ICE-Dallas agents apprehended Guatemalan national Dennis Alexander Valenzuela, who was illegally living in the U.S. in Fort Worth and wanted for murder by Guatemalan officials. Valenzuela illegally entered the U.S. near Hidalgo, Texas, in 2021 as a gotaway. Border Patrol agents apprehended him after his illegal entry, but instead of processing him for removal, gave him a Notice to Appear before an immigration judge and released him into the U.S. Nearly four years later, ICE arrested him and he remains in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.
ICE-Dallas agents also recently removed Romanian national Ionel Cirpaci, wanted by Romanian authorities for human trafficking. After an immigration judge ordered his removal last June, he was recently released to Romanian officials without incident.
According to ICE data, the majority of arrests of violent criminal illegal foreign nationals in Texas are occurring in Dallas and Houston, The Center Square reported.
