logo
Peruvian migrant acquitted in the first trial over the new militarized zone at US-Mexico border

Peruvian migrant acquitted in the first trial over the new militarized zone at US-Mexico border

EL PASO, Texas (AP) — A Peruvian woman who crossed the U.S. border illegally was acquitted Thursday of unauthorized access to a newly designated militarized zone in the first trial under the Trump administration's efforts to prosecute immigrants who cross in certain parts of New Mexico and western Texas.
Adely Vanessa De La Cruz-Alvarez, 21, was arrested last month near the West Texas town of Tornillo after she entered the U.S. from Mexico by walking across the riverbed of the Rio Grande, court documents show.
In addition to being charged with entering the country illegally, she was charged with accessing a military zone. She is among several other immigrants who have been charged under the law since President Donald Trump's administration transferred oversight of a strip of land along the border to the military. It is as part of a new approach the Department of Justice is taking to crack down on illegal immigration.
The Associated Press left messages Thursday with De La Cruz-Alvarez's attorney, Veronica Teresa Lerma. The lawyer told The Texas Tribune the acquittal is significant.
'Hopefully, this sets the tone for the federal government,' Lerma said, 'so they know what the El Paso community will do with these charges.'
Even before the woman's case went to trial, federal magistrate judges in neighboring New Mexico had dismissed similar cases, finding little evidence that immigrants knew about the zones.
Lerma was convicted of entering the country illegally and was already facing deportation, but could have faced up to 18 months in prison for entering the militarized zone.
Despite the verdict, U.S. Attorney Justin Simmons of the Western District of Texas said his office will continue to aggressively prosecute National Defense Area violations.
'At the end of the day, another illegal alien has been found guilty of illegally entering the country in violation of the improper entry statute and will be removed from the United States,' Simmons said in a statement. 'That's a win for America.'
The administration wants to sharply increase the removal of immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally as Trump seeks to make good on his pledge of mass deportations. The administration has deployed thousands of troops to the border, while arrests have plunged to the lowest levels since the mid-1960s.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Marines that deployed to Los Angeles have not yet responded to immigration protests
Marines that deployed to Los Angeles have not yet responded to immigration protests

Toronto Star

time28 minutes ago

  • Toronto Star

Marines that deployed to Los Angeles have not yet responded to immigration protests

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Marines that deployed to Los Angeles on orders from President Donald Trump have not yet been called to respond to the city's immigration protests and are there only to protect federal property, the Marine Corps commandant said Tuesday. The 700 Marines and another 2,000 National Guard troops were sent to LA on Monday, escalating a military presence local officials and Gov. Gavin Newsom do not want and that the police chief says makes it harder to handle the protests safely.

Hegseth faces sharp questions from Congress on deploying troops to Los Angeles and Pentagon chaos
Hegseth faces sharp questions from Congress on deploying troops to Los Angeles and Pentagon chaos

Toronto Star

time28 minutes ago

  • Toronto Star

Hegseth faces sharp questions from Congress on deploying troops to Los Angeles and Pentagon chaos

WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was quickly met with sharp questions and criticism Tuesday by lawmakers who pressed him about his early moves to deploy troops to Los Angeles, fire key military leaders and purge diversity programs. They expressed bipartisan frustration that Congress has not yet gotten a full defense budget from the Trump administration. 'Your tenure as secretary has been marked by endless chaos,' Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., told Hegseth. Others, including Republican leaders, warned that massive spending projects such as President Donald Trump's desire for a $175 billion Golden Dome missile defense system will get broad congressional scrutiny.

An immigrant Wisconsin man falsely accused of threatening Trump can be released on bond
An immigrant Wisconsin man falsely accused of threatening Trump can be released on bond

Toronto Star

time28 minutes ago

  • Toronto Star

An immigrant Wisconsin man falsely accused of threatening Trump can be released on bond

CHICAGO (AP) — An immigrant man who was falsely accused of threatening to assassinate President Donald Trump can be released from a Wisconsin prison on bond, an immigration judge determined Tuesday. Ramón Morales Reyes was accused of a writing a letter threatening Trump in a blistering social media post by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. The post includes Morales Reyes' photo and an excerpt from the letter he purportedly wrote in English. But the claims quickly fell apart as Wisconsin authorities determined that Reyes, who doesn't speak English well or write in the language, was framed.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store