A total of 473 cases involving immigration and related offenses were filed in the Southern District of Texas from February 20 to 26, as part of ongoing efforts under Operation Take Back America. U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei announced the results, which included charges against 23 individuals for alleged human smuggling.
Among the new filings, there were 202 criminal complaints for illegal entry and 244 felony reentry charges for individuals who had previously been removed from the United States. Many of those charged have prior convictions for felonies such as narcotics offenses, violent crimes, or other immigration violations.
Three men from El Salvador, Mexico, and Honduras were specifically highlighted in the announcement. Joel Antonio Alvarez-Reyes of El Salvador and Arturo Corona-Santiago of Mexico both have burglary convictions and were found without legal status in the McAllen area after having been removed from the country. Ariel Lazaro Hernandez-Misiara of Honduras has a conviction for cocaine trafficking and was discovered near Roma after being removed earlier this year. If convicted on felony reentry charges, each faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
In Corpus Christi, a jury found Ludivina Vasquez-Salinas guilty of transporting an undocumented individual further into the United States. On May 7, 2025, authorities stopped her vehicle and observed movement beneath a blanket on the rear floorboard. Vasquez-Salinas initially denied anyone else was present but later admitted she was aware she was transporting someone past a checkpoint. The jury deliberated for only 25 minutes before reaching a guilty verdict.
Several sentencings took place during this period. In Houston, Raymundo Pecina-Lopez and Samuel Moreno-Soto received sentences of 39 months and 18 months respectively for unlawful reentry; both have previous convictions for assault or narcotics offenses. Honduran nationals Elmer Adalid Alonzo-Zelaya and Cristian Jose Ayestas-Argueta were sentenced after being found unlawfully present despite prior convictions for illegal reentry; their criminal histories include aggravated assault and trespassing.
Mexican national Edgar Jaramillo-Escobar was also sentenced in Houston following prior convictions related to illegal reentry and assault causing bodily injury.
In Corpus Christi, Serafin Garcia-Rodriguez and Hugo Balderas Juarez—both Mexican nationals with previous drug-related convictions—were ordered to prison on new illegal reentry charges; Juarez also had a DUI conviction.
Veronica Michelle Torres pleaded guilty in Houston to illegal reentry after records showed felony convictions including credit card abuse and unlawful carrying of a weapon; she now faces up to ten years in prison.
These cases involved collaboration between multiple agencies: 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), as well as state and local law enforcement partners.
Operation Take Back America is described as “a nationwide initiative that 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 and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.”
“Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. “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’s office is one of six across its region—including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Laredo, McAllen, and Brownsville—as outlined on its official website. The district covers more than nine million people across 43 counties within an area spanning about 44,000 square miles [source]. More than 200 attorneys work within these offices [source] prosecuting federal crimes—including immigration—and handling civil cases involving government interests [source].
The office is part of the U.S. Department of Justice under oversight by the Attorney General [source]. Past leaders have included Alamdar Hamdani (2022–2025) among others [source].
An indictment or criminal complaint represents only an accusation; all defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty through due process.
