Rachel C. Hernandez Acting United States Attorney for the District of Arizona | U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona
During the week of May 17 to May 23, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona charged 314 individuals with immigration-related criminal offenses. Of these cases, 117 involved illegal re-entry into the United States, while another 176 concerned illegal entry. Additionally, charges were filed against 21 individuals accused of smuggling illegal aliens into and within Arizona.
The enforcement actions were supported by several federal law enforcement agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Several cases have been highlighted as significant:
In "United States v. Angel Said Ojeda-Figueroa," a vehicle stop led to charges against Ojeda-Figueroa for transporting aliens for profit after he attempted to flee from law enforcement.
"United States v. Tomas Ortiz-Lopez" involves a charge of re-entry after removal for Ortiz-Lopez, who had previously been deported following a felony drug conviction.
In "United States v. Gabriel Jimenez-Diaz," Jimenez-Diaz was charged with transportation of aliens for profit after failing to yield to Border Patrol Agents and attempting to flee.
"United States v. Juan Carlos Carmona-Maya" resulted in charges for re-entry after removal following Carmona-Maya's previous deportation due to a felony theft conviction.
Finally, in "United States v. Luis Fernando Ibarra Jr.," Ibarra Jr. was charged with transportation of aliens for profit after a high-speed chase ended with his apprehension.
These prosecutions are part of Operation Take Back America, which aims to combat illegal immigration and dismantle cartels and transnational criminal organizations through coordinated efforts by various Department of Justice initiatives.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation; defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
