U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has successfully deported Francisco Javier Melendez Torres, a Salvadoran national who was wanted for the aggravated rape of a minor, back to El Salvador. Melendez, who had entered the U.S. illegally, was removed from the country on January 31, as confirmed by ICE.
Melendez, a foreign fugitive, was captured by the U.S. Border Patrol near Rio Grande, Texas, on February 5, 1986, and faced charges of inadmissibility. He was released on the same day with an order of recognizance. Later, an immigration judge granted him voluntary departure, but he disregarded it and as a consequence, an alternate order of removal to El Salvador was enforced.
Melendez has a criminal record in the U.S., which includes a conviction for driving while impaired in 1994 and disorderly conduct in 2014, both in Nassau County, New York. On October 25, 2024, ICE arrested him in Levittown, New York, during a targeted enforcement action. Following this, an immigration judge in Elizabeth, New Jersey, ordered his removal on December 12, 2024.
“The removal of Francisco Javier Melendez Torres, a dangerous criminal alien wanted for aggravated rape of a minor in El Salvador, highlights the dangers individuals like him pose to our communities,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations acting Philadelphia Field Office Director Brian McShane. “ICE is committed to ensuring that dangerous individuals like Melendez Torres do not find safe harbor in the United States and do not further threaten the American public.”
If you have any information regarding crimes or suspicious activity, you can report it by dialing the ICE Tip Line at 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or by filling out the online tip form. For more details about ICE Philadelphia’s mission to enhance public safety in Pennsylvania, Delaware, and West Virginia, you can visit their website at X: @EROPhiladelphia.
