A Salvadoran fugitive with ties to the notorious MS-13 gang and wanted for murder back home was detained by Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Boston in Foxboro on February 19.
This isn’t his first, second, or even third rodeo with U.S. immigration authorities. The 44-year-old has been removed from the United States not once, not twice, but three times before.
According to ERO Boston Field Office Director Todd Lyons, the arrest is a significant achievement in safeguarding the community.
“This unlawfully present fugitive is a member of a violent transnational criminal organization who is wanted for murder in his home country,” said Lyons.
“The people of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts are safer today now that this fugitive criminal has been arrested. ERO Boston continues to help make our communities safer by our unwavering commitment to protecting public safety every day,” he added.
The Boston Herald has learned that the fugitive is identified as Wilmer Alexy Garcia-Manzanarez, according to a “Red Notice” from INTERPOL, the International Criminal Police Organization headquartered in France, issued at the request of El Salvador. The notice details his charges in Spanish as “Organizaciones terroristas.”
Garcia-Manzanarez initially entered the U.S. illegally across the Canadian border in New York in March 2001 and was served with a notice to appear before an immigration judge. After failing to appear and being ordered removed in absentia in March 2002, he was eventually deported in January 2007 by ERO Phoenix.
In May 2010, Garcia-Manzanarez entered the U.S. again, was arrested in Texas, and was removed a second time in July of that year. His third unlawful entry resulted in another arrest in September 2012 and subsequent removal the following month.
Despite these removals, Garcia-Manzanarez illegally reentered the U.S. and was living in Massachusetts until his most recent arrest by ERO Boston. He is currently in ICE custody pending his removal proceedings. If deported, this would mark his fourth removal.
According to ERO, “In fiscal year 2023, ERO made 170,590 administrative arrests, a 19.5% increase over the previous year. ERO arrested 73,822 noncitizens with a criminal history; those arrested had an average of four charges and convictions per individual, including more than 33,209 charges or convictions for assault, 7,520 for weapons offenses, 1,713 for homicide-related offenses, and 1,615 for kidnapping. Removals also included 3,406 known or suspected gang members, 139 known or suspected terrorists, seven human rights violators, and 108 foreign fugitives wanted by their governments for crimes including homicide, rape, terrorism and kidnapping. Also in fiscal year 2023, ERO conducted 142,580 removals to more than 170 countries worldwide.”
