On February 14th, 2025, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deported an individual of Salvadoran nationality to El Salvador. This individual was wanted for aggravated homicide and involvement in a terrorist organization.
Jonathan Stanley Garcia Vasquez, who was evading authorities for a significant period, was apprehended in the United States in December 2024. Despite having a final order of removal, he managed to avoid capture for an extended period.
“Today’s successful removal of Jonathan Stanley Garcia Vasquez highlights our unyielding commitment to the safety and security of the American people,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Philadelphia acting Field Office Director Brian McShane. “By apprehending and deporting alien foreign fugitives, ICE excels in fulfilling its public safety and national security missions.”
Garcia Vasquez was initially apprehended by US Border Patrol near Hidalgo, Texas, in 2016 for illegal entry. He was given an immigration bond and released in 2017.
In 2018, El Salvador authorities issued an arrest warrant for him on charges of aggravated homicide and involvement in a terrorist organization. That same year, an immigration judge ordered his removal in absentia.
In December 2024, ERO Newark officers successfully captured Garcia Vasquez in New Jersey during a routine enforcement action. He was then held in ICE custody until he was eventually deported to El Salvador.
