U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has deported Wilver Cota-Ortiz, a 43-year-old citizen of El Salvador, to his home country where he faces charges related to human trafficking. Cota-Ortiz entered the United States without official inspection and was apprehended on multiple occasions over the years for various offenses, leading to his removal.
Cota-Ortiz first came to the attention of U.S. authorities when he was arrested by the Dallas Police Department in January 2010 for assault with a deadly weapon. An immigration detainer led to his removal to El Salvador in December 2010 after an assault conviction.
Despite deportation, Cota-Ortiz unlawfully reentered the United States and was arrested again by U.S. Border Patrol in August 2013 in California. This arrest revealed a warrant for a probation violation in Dallas. He was convicted of this violation and served a prison term before being deported a second time in December 2015.
Undeterred, Cota-Ortiz crossed back into the United States illegally and was arrested by ICE for illegal reentry in February 2023. He was convicted of this charge in October 2023 and sentenced to nine months in prison. During this imprisonment, it emerged that he was wanted for human trafficking in El Salvador, prompting coordinated efforts by ICE to execute his removal, which occurred on April 4.
Cammilla H. Wamsley, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Seattle Interim Field Office Director, emphasized the agency's commitment by stating, “ICE will make every effort to arrest those that have fled to the U.S. to evade justice in their home country.”
The public is encouraged to provide information about foreign fugitives by contacting ICE through their tip line or online form. More details about ICE's operations can be followed on their social media channels.
