ERO Philadelphia removes foreign fugitive wanted for drug trafficking to Honduras

PHILADELPHIA – Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Philadelphia removed Anthony Eduardo Murillo Oliva, a citizen of Honduras, with a final order of removal, to Honduras on March 18. Murillo is a foreign fugitive wanted by law enforcement authorities in Honduras for drug possession for the purpose of trafficking.

“International drug smugglers making their way into the United States to avoid prosecution in their home countries continue to be a threat to the American public,” said ERO Philadelphia Field Office Director Cammilla Wamsley. “ERO is working diligently to remove noncitizens who pose a danger to U.S. citizens.”

On May 14, 2019, authorities in Honduras issued an arrest warrant for Murillo for drug possession for the purpose of trafficking.

Murillo entered the United States at the Camino Real International Bridge Port of Entry in Eagle Pass, Texas, on Sep. 15, 2023. On the same date, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) served him with a notice and order of expedited removal, charging inadmissibility pursuant to Section 212 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).

Murillo was transferred to ERO Philadelphia at the Moshannon Valley Processing Center in Philipsburg, Pennsylvania on Dec. 20, 2023.

On Feb. 5, 2024, an immigration judge with the Justice Department’s Executive Office for Immigration Review, ordered Murillo removed from the United States to Honduras. He waived his rights to appeal.

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 (ICE) three operational directorates, Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) 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. Members of the public can report crimes or suspicious activity by calling 866-347-2423 or completing ICE’s online tip form.

Learn more about ERO’s mission to increase public safety in your community on X, formerly known as Twitter, @EROPhiladelphia.

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