ERO Washington, D.C. takes custody of Venezuelan noncitizen arrested for carrying machete and knife at US Capitol

WASHINGTON - Enforcement and Removal Operations Washington, D.C. took custody of an undocumented noncitizen who was arrested for carrying a machete, a butcher’s knife and a brick at the U.S. Capitol. On Dec. 27, deportation officers from the ERO Washington, D.C. field office took custody of Jose Leonardo Marquez-Marquez, a 23-year-old Venezuelan national who was arrested by U.S. Capitol Police on Dec. 26.

“Jose Leonardo Marquez-Marquez posed a significant threat to people in and around the U.S. Capitol,” said ERO Washington, D.C. acting Field Office Director Patrick Divver. “Thanks to our law enforcement partners at the U.S. Capitol Police, this threat was mitigated quickly. Fortunately, Marquez is currently in ERO custody and will face removal proceedings.”

Marquez unlawfully entered the United States on an unknown date, at an unknown location and without being admitted, inspected, or paroled by an immigration official.

The U.S. Border Patrol arrested Marquez on Aug. 21, 2022, near El Paso, Texas. The next day, USBP released Marquez on Alternatives to Detention due to a lack of detention capacity.

Marquez reported to ERO Washington, D.C. on Oct. 5, 2023. ERO Washington, D.C. issued him a notice to appear before a Department of Justice immigration judge.

The U.S. Capitol Police in Washington, D.C. arrested Marquez on Dec. 26, 2023, and charged him with carrying a dangerous weapon and possessing prohibited weapon.

On Dec. 27, 2023, ERO Washington, D.C. lodged an immigration detainer – notice of action, against Marquez with the U.S. Marshals Service in Washington, D.C. Later that day, USMS transferred Marquez into the custody of ERO Washington, D.C., where he was issued a notice of custody determination.

M Marquez is currently in the custody of ICE ERO Washington, D.C.

Enforcement and Removal Operations is focused on smart, effective immigration enforcement that protects the homeland through the arrest and removal of those who undermine the safety of our communities and the integrity of our immigration laws.

Entering the United States without authorization is a violation of federal law, and those who do so many be subject to administrative arrest, and in some cases, criminal prosecution.

ERO conducts removals of individuals without a lawful basis to remain in the United States, including at the order of immigration judges with the Justice Department’s Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR). EOIR is a separate entity from DHS and ICE. Immigration judges in these courts make decisions based on the merits of each individual case, determining if a noncitizen is subject to a final order of removal or eligible for certain forms of relief from removal.

As one of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s three operational directorates, Enforcement and Removal Operations is the principal federal law enforcement authority in charge of domestic immigration enforcement. ERO’s mission is to protect the homeland through the arrest and removal of those who undermine the safety of U.S. communities and the integrity of U.S. immigration laws, and its primary areas of focus are interior enforcement operations, management of the agency’s detained and non-detained populations, and repatriation of noncitizens who have received final orders of removal. ERO’s workforce consists of more than 7,700 law enforcement and non-law enforcement support personnel across 25 domestic field offices and 208 locations nationwide, 30 overseas postings, and multiple temporary duty travel assignments along the border.

Source: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE.gov)