HOUSTON — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USAO - Texas, Southern), published as received.
HOUSTON – The Southern District of Texas has filed another 263 cases involving immigration and border security-related crimes from June 19-25, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck.
A total of 223 illegal aliens are charged with unlawfully being in the United States - 56 and 167 for illegal entry and reentry, respectively. Most have previous convictions related to narcotics, immigration offenses, violent crimes and more. The cases also include 29 people allegedly involved in human smuggling, while the remaining matters involve other immigration crimes.
One illegal alien facing charges this week is Mexican national Rosendo Castelan-Reyes. Court documents allege he has a prior conviction for aggravated assault and was previously removed Oct. 30, 2018. However, law enforcement allegedly discovered him near La Grulla with no authorization to be in the country.
Similarly, authorities found another illegal alien near Cuevitas, according to the criminal complaint. Cuban national Angel Javier Cabrera-Rivero allegedly had a prior conviction for drug trafficking before his removal in December 2025.
If convicted of felony reentry after removal, both men face up to 20 years in federal prison.
The cases are referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, BP, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal histories, including convictions for human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than 10 million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes.
An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
