The Southern District of Texas has charged more than 20,000 individuals in immigration and related matters since the start of Operation Take Back America, Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck announced on Apr. 24.
The large number of prosecutions highlights continued federal efforts to address border security and criminal activity connected to illegal immigration. The Justice Department serves as the principal federal agency for law enforcement, according to the official website.
Between April 17 and April 23, authorities filed charges against 484 people: 175 for illegal entry, 275 for felony reentry after removal, and others for human smuggling or related crimes. Some defendants have prior convictions including narcotics offenses, violent crime, sexual offenses, or other immigration violations. Among those charged are Fernando Flores-Bautista and Carlos Guadalupe Aquino-Pacheco—both Mexican nationals with previous removals and felony convictions—as well as Dionicio Rodriguez-Hernandez and Francisco Javier Velasquez-Vela who face similar allegations. If convicted, these individuals could face up to twenty years in federal prison.
Additionally this week, eight members of Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) received sentences ranging from thirty-five to fifty years in prison after admitting roles in a racketeering conspiracy involving witness tampering and multiple murders ordered by MS-13 leadership in El Salvador. In another case from Roma, Lizandro Monroy was sentenced to thirty-seven months for using a minor during a human smuggling attempt that resulted in a pursuit and injury.
These cases are supported by multiple agencies such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations; ICE – Enforcement and Removal Operations; Border Patrol; Drug Enforcement Administration; FBI; U.S. Marshals Service; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; along with state and local partners.
Operation Take Back America is described as a nationwide initiative using all Justice Department resources to combat illegal immigration while targeting cartels and transnational criminal organizations. The Justice Department includes more than 115,000 employees operating across the United States and internationally as noted on the official website.
Under current leadership—including Attorney General Merrick Garland who assumed office on March 11, 2021—the department focuses on upholding the rule of law while ensuring national safety and safeguarding civil rights according to its official website. Garland also oversaw key prosecutions such as the Oklahoma City bombing case during his tenure at the department.
The Southern District covers forty-three counties with over ten million residents across forty-four thousand square miles through seven divisions working closely with law enforcement at all levels. Prosecutors remind that an indictment or complaint is only an accusation until proven otherwise through due process.
