A total of 413 individuals have been charged in immigration and border security enforcement actions between February 6 and February 13, according to an announcement by U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Among those charged, 17 are accused of involvement in human smuggling. Authorities filed illegal entry charges against 167 people, while another 227 face felony reentry charges after previous removal from the United States. Most of these individuals reportedly have prior felony convictions, including narcotics offenses, violent crimes, and immigration-related crimes. Four others were charged with various immigration offenses and making a false statement.
One case involves Andres Wilkinson, a Customs and Border Protection supervisor in Laredo who is accused of harboring an illegal alien. The complaint alleges that Wilkinson allowed the individual and her minor child to live at his home, provided financial support, permitted her use of vehicles registered in his name, and knowingly transported her through Border Patrol checkpoints. If convicted, Wilkinson could receive up to ten years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.
Additional cases include criminal complaints against five individuals who allegedly attempted to reenter the country within ten months of their most recent removals. According to court documents, Mexican nationals Edgar Madrid-Orozco, Lauriano Santos-Rios, and Aaron Nava-Carillo were removed on April 11, July 9, and August 31 respectively; Belize national Edwin Rene Mancillas-Suriano was removed May 22; Guatemalan national Juan Dieguez-Nolasco was removed December 30, 2025. Each has prior felony convictions such as battery or aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. All five were found in the United States without legal authorization and face up to twenty years in federal prison if convicted.
In Houston, Belize national Sindi Vanessa Moreno-Flores pleaded guilty to assaulting an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer during a targeted enforcement operation in Conroe. She attempted to flee arrest before being restrained by authorities.
In McAllen, Mexican national Angel Fabian Moreno-Rodriguez received a sentence of seventy months in federal prison after law enforcement discovered approximately five kilograms of fentanyl concealed inside his vehicle during a traffic stop in Donna. Moreno-Rodriguez admitted he was paid to transport the narcotics.
Gonzalo Chavez was also convicted this week for conspiracy to transport illegal aliens after law enforcement observed his vehicle near the Rio Grande and found four illegal aliens attempting to hide inside it during a traffic stop. Evidence presented at trial showed Chavez coordinated with smugglers in Mexico for transportation after they crossed the river. He faces up to ten years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 fine.
Federal law enforcement agencies involved include 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 (USMS), Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms & Explosives (ATF), along with state and local partners.
These prosecutions are part of Operation Take Back America—a nationwide initiative aimed at combating illegal immigration and dismantling transnational criminal organizations.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas: “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 covers more than nine million people across forty-three counties over forty-four thousand square miles through offices located in Houston, Galveston, Corpus Christi, Laredo, McAllen and Brownsville as detailed on its official website. More than two hundred attorneys work across these divisions focusing on prosecuting federal crimes as well as handling civil matters for the government (source).
The office is part of the U.S. Department of Justice under the Attorney General (source). Its history includes former leaders such as Alamdar Hamdani (2022–2025) (source) and Ryan Patrick (source).
As noted by officials: “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.”
