Federal authorities in the Southern District of Texas have filed 363 cases related to immigration offenses between January 30 and February 5, according to an announcement by U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Of those charged, 220 individuals face felony reentry after removal charges, while another 116 are accused of illegal entry. Many of those charged have previous felony convictions for crimes such as narcotics offenses, violent crime, and other immigration violations. The filings also include 23 people accused of human smuggling and six others facing various immigration-related charges.
One case involves Honduran national Nixon Ariel Villalobos-Quijada, who is alleged to have attempted unlawful reentry into the United States within six months of his most recent removal on August 17, 2025. The complaint states that he has a prior conviction for tampering with or fabricating physical evidence and was found near Roma without legal authorization.
Other complaints allege that Mexican nationals Alvaro Zavala-Valdez and Ricardo Enede Rodriguez-Alvarez illegally reentered the country after previous removals in August 2013 and May 2022, respectively. Zavala-Valdez has a prior conviction for illegal reentry, while Rodriguez-Alvarez was previously sentenced for transportation or harboring of undocumented individuals. Both were reportedly located in the McAllen area this week.
If convicted, each faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
These prosecutions are supported by several federal agencies including Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), along with state and local law enforcement partners.
The cases fall under Operation Take Back America—a nationwide effort by the Department of Justice aimed at countering illegal immigration activities and targeting transnational criminal organizations involved in violent crime.
According to leadership statements: "Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal histories, including convictions for human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children."
The Southern District of Texas covers a wide region—43 counties over approximately 44,000 square miles—with more than nine million residents served by offices in Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo as detailed on its official website. The office employs over 200 attorneys who work closely with law enforcement at all levels to prosecute federal crimes (source).
The office is part of the U.S. Department of Justice under the Attorney General (source). Its responsibilities include prosecuting federal criminal cases as well as handling civil matters involving government interests (source). Past leaders include Alamdar Hamdani (2022–2025) and Ryan Patrick (history page).
As noted: "An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law."
