A Guatemalan national residing unlawfully in New Bedford has admitted guilt in a federal court in Boston for reentering the United States after deportation. Manuel Ruiz Luis, aged 52, confessed to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young has set the sentencing date for September 18, 2025. In May 2025, Ruiz Luis faced indictment by a federal grand jury.
Ruiz Luis was initially deported from the United States to Guatemala in April 1996 and returned illegally at an unspecified time afterward. He was removed again on March 28, 2012, and subsequently reentered without permission.
Before his removal in 2012, Ruiz Luis had several criminal convictions including one charge of operating under the influence and four charges related to operating a motor vehicle without a license.
The charge of unlawful reentry can lead to a sentence of up to two years imprisonment, followed by one year of supervised release and a fine that could reach $250,000. Upon completing any imposed sentence, the defendant faces deportation. Sentences are determined by a federal district court judge according to U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and relevant statutes.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Leah B. Foley along with Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandra W. Amrhein from the Major Crimes Unit is handling the prosecution.
