U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers in Washington, D.C. announced on April 23 the arrest of Idalia Isabel Morales-Mejia, a Salvadoran national wanted in El Salvador for aggravated homicide and known to be associated with the MS-13 gang.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by ICE to locate and detain individuals facing serious criminal charges abroad who are residing illegally in the United States. Authorities say Morales-Mejia had entered the country at an unknown time and location without inspection or authorization from immigration officials.
Robert Guadian, ICE Washington, D.C. Field Office Director, said, “Idalia Isabel Morales-Mejia is not only a known associate of the notorious MS-13 transnational criminal organization, but she apparently attempted to flee justice in her native country by illegally residing in Virginia.” He added, “The media would consider her to be a ‘non-criminal’ because she has no known criminal history in the United States — despite the fact that she is facing charges for aggravated homicide in El Salvador. ICE Washington, D.C. will continue to prioritize public safety by arresting and removing criminal alien offenders from our Washington, D.C. and Virginia communities.”
Authorities in El Salvador charged Morales-Mejia with aggravated homicide and illicit associations as early as October 2013. In February of this year, information from the Security Alliance for Fugitive Enforcement Task Force indicated that Morales-Mejia might be present in Northern Virginia. Following up on this lead, ICE officers located her and arrested her on March 12 in Woodbridge; she was then served notice to appear before a Justice Department immigration judge.
ICE also reported another recent arrest: On March 31 they detained Marco Tulio Lopez-Romero, an undocumented immigrant also wanted for aggravated homicide charges out of El Salvador.
These arrests reflect ongoing collaboration between U.S. authorities and international partners as part of broader efforts to address violent crime linked to transnational gangs such as MS-13.
