The U.S. Department of Homeland Security recently announced that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has placed a detainer to prevent the release of Jefferson Adonay Velasquez-Torres, an El Salvadoran national accused of two fatal shootings in Texas. Velasquez-Torres, in the country illegally, faces murder charges for an April 27 shooting outside a Houston nightclub where Noah Ramirez, 27, was killed. Two others were injured in this incident, as reported by FOX 26 Houston.
ICE has been active in recent operations, having arrested over 900 suspected human traffickers and rescued 180 victims during the FIFA World Cup, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
Velasquez-Torres had previously been charged with murder in connection with a shooting during a party in Houston last August, which resulted in the death of 17-year-old Angel Garcia. Another suspect, Enrique Aguilar, 19, was also arrested for Garcia’s death, as reported by FOX 26.
The charges against Velasquez-Torres extend beyond murder to include unlawfully carrying a weapon and aggravated robbery. He illegally entered the U.S. as a minor in 2014 during former President Barack Obama’s administration. Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis criticized past policies, stating, “This criminal illegal alien has been charged with two counts of murder after two fatal shootings in Houston. He would not be in our country if it weren’t for the reckless open-border policies of the Obama Administration.”
ICE has requested that Texas officials not release Velasquez-Torres without notification, emphasizing the seriousness of his alleged crimes. Texas authorities have cooperated, and Velasquez-Torres is currently held in the Harry County Jail without bond for the secondary shooting-related charges. Lauren Bis assured the public, saying, “Together we will ensure this public safety threat will never be loose on our streets.”