During the week of November 29 to December 5, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona charged 242 individuals with immigration-related crimes. According to the office, there were 111 cases involving illegal re-entry into the United States and 118 cases involving illegal entry. Additionally, authorities filed charges in 12 cases against 13 people accused of smuggling undocumented immigrants within Arizona.
These actions were supported by several federal 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).
One notable case is United States v. Dulce Haglaen Durazo-Torres. On December 4, Dulce Haglaen Durazo-Torres was charged with transporting an undocumented immigrant after a traffic stop revealed she was traveling with two men who admitted entering the country illegally. All three individuals are Mexican citizens without legal status in the United States.
Another case involved Edgar Eduardo Quiroz-Otero, who was charged on December 1 with re-entering after removal. Quiroz-Otero had previously been deported in July 2024 following a conviction for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl.
In a separate incident on December 1, Joseph Tunon Esteban-Seanez and Jesus Francisco Pena-Valenzuela were charged with conspiracy to transport undocumented immigrants for profit. Law enforcement agents pursued Esteban after he fled a vehicle stop; both men later admitted they took part in smuggling activities after losing their jobs.
The office emphasized that criminal complaints are formal accusations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
