During the week of August 9 to August 15, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona filed immigration-related criminal charges against 161 individuals. According to the office, there were 79 cases involving illegal re-entry into the United States and 71 cases charging individuals with illegal entry. Additionally, prosecutors brought charges in 10 cases against 11 people accused of smuggling illegal aliens into or within Arizona.
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, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) referred or supported these cases.
Among recent prosecutions:
United States v. Isidro Calleros-Sotelo: On August 11, Isidro Calleros-Sotelo was charged by criminal complaint with Re-entry of a Removed Alien. Calleros-Sotelo had been previously removed from the United States in 2024 after being convicted of Conspiracy to Transport and Harbor Illegal Aliens for Financial Gain in the United States District Court, District of Arizona. In that case, Calleros-Sotelo was sentenced to 15 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release.
United States v. Mario Alberto Rodriguez-Herrera: On August 13, a Pinal County Sheriff’s Office Deputy performed a traffic stop on Mario Alberto Rodriguez-Herrera. Border Patrol Agents responded to the scene to conduct an immigration inspection and determined that the back seat passenger in the car was a citizen of Mexico, illegally present in the United States. Rodriguez-Herrera initially claimed to be a Lawfully Admitted Permanent Resident (LAPR), and later explained that he “shared” a LAPR card with a friend who has similar physical attributes. However, when agents found a LAPR card bearing the name “Mario Rodriguez" located inside Rodriguez-Herrera’s vehicle, they determined that it was a fraudulent document. Agents then confirmed that Rodriguez-Herrera was a citizen of Mexico, illegally present in the United States. Rodriguez-Herrera was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien and Fraud and Misuse of Visas, Permits and Other Documents.
United States v. Ricardo Daniel Villalobos-Cardenas: On August 14, Ricardo Daniel Villalobos-Cardenas was charged with Conspiracy to Transport and Harbor Illegal Aliens for his role in an alien smuggling conspiracy that involved picking up aliens in southern Arizona and transporting them to a stash house in Phoenix. Villalobos-Cardenas was identified as both the caretaker of the stash house and someone who transported illegal aliens.
These actions are part of Operation Take Back America—a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice designed to counter illegal immigration activity as well as target cartels and transnational criminal organizations through coordinated efforts involving Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
The office noted that all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
