The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona has charged over 500 individuals with immigration-related offenses following a two-week enforcement operation. From January 21 to February 3, 2025, a total of 565 defendants faced charges connected to immigration crimes. These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement agencies such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Federal law enforcement has been focusing on immigration enforcement operations targeting individuals unlawfully in the country who are linked to criminal activities in the United States. This includes those involved in drug and firearms crimes, those with serious criminal records or active warrants, or those with final orders of removal from an immigration judge. Authorities are also prioritizing actions against smugglers and individuals threatening community safety.
In one notable case, Edwin Santiago Marquez Flores was charged after being found with firearms intended for smuggling into Mexico. "Marquez admitted to being in the United States without legal status," according to court documents.
Another case involved Jason Kyle Dunn, a U.S. citizen charged with alien smuggling after aliens were discovered locked inside toolboxes in his vehicle at a checkpoint.
Alfonso Garcia Vega was arrested by ICE ERO Phoenix for illegal reentry after deportation due to prior felony convictions in the United States.
The office reminds that "a criminal complaint is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity" and that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.