ERO Raleigh arrests MS-13 member

DURHAM, N.C. – Officers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations Raleigh Fugitive Operations Team arrested 39-year-old Rene Arturo Canas-Rivas, a citizen and national of El Salvador, on Nov. 30.

Canas has an Interpol Red Notice and is wanted in El Salvador for murder and terrorist organization affiliations. Canas is a documented member of the MS-13 transnational criminal organization.

ERO became aware of Canas after receiving the Red Notice and used their resources to quickly locate him.

“Violent criminals who commit crimes in the United States or abroad, have no safe haven within our communities,” said Atlanta Field Office Director Ladeon E. Francis. “ERO Atlanta officers are always ready to respond quickly and effectively to apprehend noncitizens that are threats to the community, like this subject.”

Canas was taken into custody outside of his residence in Durham, North Carolina without incident. He is in ICE custody.

As part of its mission to identify and arrest removable noncitizens, ERO lodges immigration detainers against noncitizens who have been arrested for criminal activity and taken into custody by state or local law enforcement. An immigration detainer is a request from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to state or local law enforcement agencies to notify ICE as early as possible before a removable noncitizen is released from their custody. Detainers request that state or local law enforcement agencies maintain custody of the noncitizen for a period not to exceed 48 hours beyond the time the individual would otherwise be released, allowing ERO to assume custody for removal purposes in accordance with federal law.

ERO is one of ICE’s three operational directorates and 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 and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.

Learn more about ICE’s mission to increase public safety in our communities on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @EROAtlanta.

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