U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo has announced the arrest of Alejandro Mendez Flores, a 38-year-old Mexican citizen, who has been charged with illegal re-entry into the United States. The charge carries a potential penalty of up to two years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen M. McCarthy, overseeing the case, detailed that Flores was apprehended by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers on April 30, 2025, at the Peace Bridge Port of Entry. He was driving a vehicle registered in Kentucky and mistakenly drove onto the bridge toward Canada where he was denied entry before encountering CBP officers again. A records check revealed that Flores had previously been arrested by U.S. Border Patrol agents in Texas in July 2019 for illegal entry into the United States and was subsequently removed from the country.
This arrest is part of Operation Take Back America, an initiative aiming to combat illegal immigration and dismantle cartels and transnational criminal organizations while protecting communities from violent crime.
Flores appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder Jr., where he was detained pending further proceedings.
The investigation leading to this complaint was conducted by Customs and Border Protection under Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy's leadership.
It is important to note that charges are accusations at this stage; Alejandro Mendez Flores is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
