Justin De La Torre, Border Patrol chief for San Diego, California, announced that agents from Arizona’s Yuma Sector and federal partners in Philadelphia arrested two foreign nationals with extensive arrest records who now face deportation charges. This statement was made on the social media platform X.
“This is why border security is national security,” said De La Torre. “Two criminal illegal aliens with significant arrest records were recently arrested by Yuma Sector agents and our federal law enforcement partners in Philadelphia. Cooperation with federal law enforcement is vital to keeping our communities safe from criminals. Both subjects will be charged as deportable aliens under 8 USC 1251 and removed from the U.S.”
According to De La Torre, agents working with federal partners in Philadelphia located and arrested two repeat immigration violators: Belize national Aaron Michael Sabal and Vietnam national Cuong Ngoc Nguyen. Both individuals had been ordered removed in absentia but continued living unlawfully in the U.S., accumulating arrests for offenses such as forgery, weapons charges, theft, drug offenses, and assault. Following their recent arrests in Philadelphia, both were placed in federal custody and are being processed as deportable aliens under 8 U.S.C. 1251. De La Torre emphasized that border security extends beyond the Southwest desert.
Federal statistics indicate that while most border encounters involve individuals without criminal histories, agents still confront thousands of offenders like Sabal and Nguyen. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) criminal noncitizen statistics for fiscal year 2024 report approximately 17,000 arrests of individuals with prior convictions. Although this represents a small share of total encounters, it poses a significant public safety concern. A Homeland Security Committee fact sheet highlights that since fiscal year 2021, Border Patrol has recorded over 55,000 arrests of aliens with criminal convictions or outstanding warrants nationwide. Proponents of strong border enforcement argue these numbers support a strategy prioritizing the swift removal of repeat offenders from American communities.
Interior immigration enforcement data further support De La Torre’s emphasis on cooperation with federal partners. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) fiscal year 2024 report shows its Enforcement and Removal Operations made 113,431 administrative arrests; more than 81,000—about 72 percent—involved noncitizens with criminal convictions or pending charges. This reflects a focus on offenders posing risks to public safety. Independent analysis notes many additional arrestees had open criminal cases even without prior convictions, illustrating how federal agents often intervene when local custody ends. Conservative border security advocates argue these figures demonstrate the importance of strong partnerships between Border Patrol, ICE, and local agencies to prevent dangerous individuals from re-entering U.S. neighborhoods.
De La Torre now leads the San Diego Sector of the Southwest border after previously serving as chief of the Yuma Sector. In his previous role, he oversaw operations emphasizing strict enforcement against illegal entry and collaborations with local law enforcement and military agencies.
