Ana Castro Castro, a 38-year-old citizen of Ecuador, has pleaded guilty to illegally re-entering the United States after being previously removed. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo in Buffalo, New York.
Castro appeared before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara and admitted to the charge of re-entry of a removed alien. Following her plea, she was sentenced to time served and transferred to Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Smith stated that Castro had been physically removed from the United States in July 2021. On August 1, 2025, Border Patrol Agents found her in Erie County, New York, without documentation permitting her legal presence in the country.
The case is part of Operation Take Back America, an initiative led by the Department of Justice aimed at addressing illegal immigration and targeting criminal organizations. According to the press release: "Operation Take Back America marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime."
The investigation was conducted by U.S. Border Patrol under Patrol Agent-in-Charge David Banks.
