Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Philadelphia has deported Jonathan Stanley Garcia Vasquez, a citizen of El Salvador, back to his home country on February 14. Garcia was wanted by Salvadoran authorities for charges related to aggravated homicide and involvement with a terrorist organization.
"Today’s successful removal of Jonathan Stanley Garcia Vasquez highlights our unyielding commitment to the safety and security of the American people. By apprehending and deporting alien foreign fugitives, ICE excels in fulfilling its public safety and national security missions," stated Brian McShane, acting Field Office Director for ERO Philadelphia. He further noted the significant role played by ERO staff in El Salvador and their Security Alliance for Fugitive Enforcement taskforce, emphasizing international cooperation.
Garcia was initially arrested by U.S. Border Patrol near Hidalgo, Texas, on June 9, 2016, after entering the United States without inspection or parole. On that day, he received a notice and order of expedited removal due to inadmissibility.
An immigration judge from the Justice Department’s Executive Office for Immigration Review in El Paso granted Garcia an immigration bond on January 27, 2017. He was subsequently released on February 6, 2017. However, an arrest warrant was issued against him by Salvadoran authorities on August 7, 2018.
On October 30, 2018, another immigration judge ordered Garcia's removal from the United States to El Salvador in absentia. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Newark apprehended him during a routine enforcement action in West New York, New Jersey. He was then transferred to ERO Philadelphia at the Moshannon Valley Processing Center in Philipsburg, Pennsylvania for deportation proceedings on December 20, 2024. Garcia remained under ICE custody until his removal process concluded.
