(The Center Square) – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Enforcement and Removal Operations officers in Houston continue to arrest illegal foreign nationals who’ve been convicted of killing Americans when driving while intoxicated (DWI) and reentered the country after they were previously deported.
DWIs and intoxicated manslaughter are top violent crimes cited in the Houston area committed primarily by Mexican nationals in the country illegally, according to ICE records.
Of the more than 660,000 criminal foreign nationals identified to be deported in late 2024 who weren’t detained, more than 126,000 had committed traffic offenses including DWIs and posed a risk to public safety, The Center Square reported.
The latest ICE ERO Houston actions occurred in Harris County, where agents lodged detainer requests with the county jail for two Mexican nationals after local law enforcement arrested them on charges of intoxicated manslaughter. This was after ICE ERO Houston officers already arrested 21 criminal foreign nationals convicted of intoxicated manslaughter and 243 with three or more DWI convictions in the past year, ICE said on Wednesday.
“After violating our nation’s laws to illegally enter the country, these criminal illegal aliens repeatedly put the lives of innocent Americans in jeopardy by getting behind the wheel intoxicated,” ICE ERO Houston acting Field Office Director Gabriel Martinez said in a statement. “Tragically, at least 23 families will wake up tomorrow without a loved one as a result of this reckless criminal behavior.”
The latest arrests were of Enrique Acevedo Barocio, 27, and Manuel Neri Mendoza, 37, who’d previously been deported and had two DWI convictions. “After the most recent incident, Mendoza allegedly attempted to flee the scene, leaving a 3-year-old child alone in a wrecked vehicle with their deceased mother,” ICE said.
Fleeing the scene is a common occurrence, ICE said. In the past year, ICE Houston officers “arrested 98 criminal illegal aliens … who fled the scene of an accident and were convicted of failing to stop and give aid after an accident.”
“It has become extremely common for criminal illegal aliens to flee from ICE and other law enforcement,” Martinez said. “This is a direct result of elected officials demonizing our officers and encouraging aliens to evade arrest.”
ICE Houston also highlighted recent arrests over the past year of those with prior convictions for intoxicated manslaughter and/or three or more DWIs. Nearly all examples are Mexican nationals and men. All were in the country illegally and previously deported. They have all since been deported.
One was five-time deported Samuel Valenzuela-Martinez, convicted of three prior DWIs and one for hit-and-run as well as aggravated assault, illegal entry, fraud, larceny, cruelty toward a child, obstructing a criminal investigation, escape and felony illegal reentry.
Another was three time removed Ramiro Castillo Juarez, convicted of intoxicated manslaughter. Another was five-time removed Humberto Romero Avila, convicted five times of DWI and convicted of larceny, illegal reentry and illegal entry. He was also wanted by Mexican authorities on a homicide charge.
Others include 12-time removed Victor Manuel Carrillo-Arreazola, convicted of intoxicated manslaughter and illegal entry; and 10-time removed Mario Salinas-Garza, convicted of four DWIs, convicted 10 times for drug possession, seven times for illegal reentry, twice for burglary and vehicle theft, and once for public order crimes.
Another was six-time deported Jose Ibarra Manuel Gamez, convicted of four DWIs, twice for illegal entry and once for hit-and-run; and four-time deported Jose Luis Mondragon-Mercado, convicted of three DWIs, convicted four times of burglary, three times of illegal reentry, twice for refusing to aid an officer, and once for obstruction.
Another was four-time deported Gerardo Abel Galvan, convicted of eight DWIs, convicted three times of fraud; twice each for illegal reentry, fleeing from officers, resisting arrest and aggravated assault; and once for larceny and public order crimes.
ICE is encouraging members of the public to report crime and suspicious activity by calling 866-347-2423 or online.
