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 24 to May 30, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona filed immigration-related criminal charges against 257 individuals. Among these cases, 125 involved illegal re-entry into the United States, while 124 were related to illegal entry. Additionally, seven cases were filed against eight individuals for smuggling illegal aliens within Arizona.
These actions were supported by federal law enforcement agencies such as 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).
One notable case was "United States v. Hugo Antonio Martinez-Lopez." On May 24, an Integrated Fixed Tower operator observed a person entering a truck driven by Martinez-Lopez near Newfield, Arizona. Border Patrol Agents attempted to stop the vehicle but Martinez-Lopez fled at high speed. After a pursuit involving a vehicle immobilization device, he was apprehended and charged with Transportation of an Illegal Alien.
In another case, "United States v. Jesus Fernando Jimenez Rodriguez," Mesa Police executed a search warrant on May 28 in Mesa, Arizona. Jimenez Rodriguez was found with large quantities of ammunition and charged with Alien in Possession of Ammunition and Illegal Re-entry.
The case "United States v. Nicholas Anthony Lawrence" involved charges against Lawrence for Aggravated Identity Theft and other offenses after being previously removed from the U.S. in November 2022.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, which aims to combat illegal immigration and protect communities from violent crime through coordinated efforts from various Department of Justice initiatives.
Criminal complaints and indictments are not indications of guilt; individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.
