U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations in Houston has placed immigration detainers on two Mexican nationals following their arrests for intoxicated manslaughter. The Harris County Jail received detainers for Enrique Acevedo Barocio, 27, on February 2, and Manuel Neri Mendoza, 37, on February 24. Mendoza had previously been removed from the United States and has two prior convictions for driving while intoxicated.
According to ICE, these incidents follow a broader pattern of enforcement actions. In the past year, ICE Houston arrested 21 noncitizens convicted of intoxicated manslaughter and 243 individuals convicted of three or more DWIs.
“After violating our nation’s laws to illegally enter the country, these criminal illegal aliens repeatedly put the lives of innocent Americans in jeopardy by getting behind the wheel intoxicated,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Houston acting Field Office Director Gabriel Martinez. “Tragically, at least 23 families will wake up tomorrow without a loved one as a result of this reckless criminal behavior.”
In Mendoza’s case, authorities allege he attempted to flee the scene after the incident, leaving a three-year-old child alone in a vehicle with their deceased mother. ICE reports that over the past year it arrested 98 noncitizens who fled accident scenes and were convicted of failing to stop and render aid.
“It has become extremely common for criminal illegal aliens to flee from ICE and other law enforcement,” Martinez said. “This is a direct result of elected officials demonizing our officers and encouraging aliens to evade arrest.”
ICE provided details about several other individuals arrested last year with similar backgrounds. These include multiple cases involving repeat removals from the U.S., numerous DWI convictions, aggravated assault charges, fraud, larceny, burglary, drug possession offenses, resisting arrest, public order crimes, obstruction charges, and illegal reentry.
ICE encourages members of the public to report crime or suspicious activity through its tip line or online form.
For updates on local enforcement efforts in Houston related to immigration laws and public safety initiatives by ICE ERO Houston can be followed on X at @EROHouston.
