During the week of January 3 to January 9, 2026, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona charged 112 individuals with immigration-related crimes. Of these, 62 cases involved illegal re-entry into the United States, while 38 cases concerned illegal entry. In addition, eight cases were filed against twelve people accused of smuggling undocumented immigrants into and within Arizona.
The enforcement actions were carried out in cooperation with several federal agencies, including 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 case highlighted by authorities is United States v. Jose Antonio Martinez-Alarcon. On January 5, 2026, Martinez-Alarcon was charged with re-entry after removal from the United States. He had previously been deported on April 8, 2014 following a felony conviction for conspiracy to possess methamphetamine for sale in Maricopa County Superior Court. Martinez-Alarcon received a five-year prison sentence for that offense.
Another case involves United States v. Luis Alberto Diaz-Galdamez and Placido Geronimo Gonzales-Carmona. Both men were charged on January 7, 2026 with conspiracy to transport undocumented immigrants for profit. According to court documents, Border Patrol agents used camera technology to observe a group crossing near Douglas, Arizona. Agents tracked a vehicle leaving the area and attempted a stop; when it failed to yield, they used a vehicle immobilization device to halt it. Diaz-Galdamez was identified as the driver and Gonzales-Carmona as the front seat passenger; two undocumented immigrants were found in the back seat.
“A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law,” according to information released by authorities.
For more details about these enforcement efforts or other activities by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
