Latest news with #Elsayed
Time of India
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Accused MS-13 gang leader set for deportation after judges drop charges
Alexandria Sheriff's Office photograph of Henrry Josue Villatoro Santos. A US federal judge on Wednesday dismissed all criminal charges against Henrry Josue Villatoro Santos , a 24-year-old Salvadoran national accused of being an MS-13 leader on the East Coast, clearing the way for his deportation , according to his attorney. The Justice Department's request to withdraw charges earlier this month signalled their intention to deport Villatoro Santos. The presence of a US marshal from the Fugitive Task Force at the hearing suggested imminent transfer to immigration custody. "They're likely to take him very quickly," stated defence attorney Muhammad Elsayed following the hearing, according to CBS news. Henrry Villatoro Santos was arrested on March 27 during a raid at his home in Woodbridge, Virginia, and charged with being an undocumented immigrant in possession of a firearm. Authorities identified him as one of the top three MS-13 gang leaders in the US and found gang-related items in his bedroom and garage. Earlier on April 9, Attorney General Pam Bondi requested the charges be dropped to allow for his immediate deportation to El Salvador instead of a lengthy prison sentence in the US. A federal judge briefly delayed the motion on April 18, but it was approved on Wednesday by US District Court Judge Claude Hilton. Despite allegations of unspecified violent crimes and leadership in criminal activities nationwide, the Justice Department's pursuit of charge dismissal has not publicly connected him to any violent acts. "This is an unusual case," Elsayed stated in court, noting the court's responsibility "to determine whether the motion was made in good faith." He highlighted the Justice Department's lack of explanation for withdrawing charges and questioned the uncertainty of subsequent legal procedures. "There will likely be additional proceedings," Elsayed noted post-hearing, CBS reported. The defence counsel criticised the Justice Department's use of Rule 48(a) for dismissing the indictment, suggesting it circumvented due-process protections. "They want to deport him without due process," Elsayed stated, referencing Bondi's statements and noting the department of homeland security's limited involvement. Government lawyers responded that the defence had already extended the case beyond its initial request. The department of homeland security's Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Fox News Digital about the increasing desperation amongst gangs, noting that authorities apprehended 2,394 undocumented gang members during Trump's initial 100-day period. "This is just the beginning," she said. "This is just 100 days. We want to get these arrest numbers up. We want to get MS-13, Tren de Aragua these really bad actors — out of our country. And that's what we're going to deliver on," she added.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Accused MS-13 ringleader one step closer to deportation after judge dismisses charges
A federal judge has cleared the way for a man described by the Department of Justice (DOJ) as MS-13's leader on the East Coast to be deported. U.S. District Court Judge Claude Hilton dismissed criminal charges against Henrry Josue Villatoro Santos, 24, of El Salvador on Wednesday, according to his lawyer, Muhammad Elsayed. Villatoro Santos was arrested during a raid on his Woodbridge, Virginia, home on March 27 and was charged with being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm. He was considered one of the top three leaders of the vicious transnational MS-13 gang living in the United States, and federal authorities noted that they had found MS-13 indicia in his bedroom and garage. Kash Patel, Fbi Tout $5M Reward For Capturing Ms-13 'Terrorist Leader' Unleashing Evil On Americans On April 9, Attorney General Pam Bondi filed a motion to dismiss the gun charges against Villatoro Santos in an effort to have him immediately deported to El Salvador, rather than standing trial and potentially spending years in a U.S. prison. That motion was briefly delayed by a federal judge on April 18, before Wednesday's decision was handed down. Read On The Fox News App Elsayed told Fox News Digital that he filed an emergency habeas petition and a temporary restraining order against the government to stop his client's deportation. Maryland Sheriff Infuriated By Senator's Trip To Visit Ms-13 Suspect, Silence On Local Murder Victims He said that since Wednesday's hearing, "the government has finally confirmed that it has placed Mr. Villatoro in removal proceedings and that he will be given his day in court as required by law." "No one in America should have to wonder whether they will be afforded their basic due process rights when they are detained by the government, and no one should live in fear that they may be forcibly disappeared to a foreign autocracy in the middle of the night," he said. He accused the federal government of turning the case into a "publicity stunt." "If we do away with due process for alleged undocumented immigrants, then American citizens are equally at risk of being unlawfully deported—how do you prove that you are not in the country illegally if you are never given your day in [court]?" Elsayed asked. A spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Eastern District of Virginia declined to comment, citing the ongoing nature of the case. Fox News Digital reached out to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Since President Donald Trump was inaugurated in January, his administration has made it a top priority to arrest and deport the most violent illegal aliens in the country, cracking down especially hard on MS-13 and the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. Assistant Secretary for the Department of Homeland Security Tricia McLaughlin told Fox News Digital that the gangs are "getting desperate," and that 2,394 illegal immigrant gang members were arrested in Trump's first 100 days. "This is just the beginning," she said. "This is just 100 days. We want to get these arrest numbers up. We want to get MS-13, Tren de Aragua — these really bad actors — out of our country. And that's what we're going to deliver on," she article source: Accused MS-13 ringleader one step closer to deportation after judge dismisses charges
Fox News
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Accused MS-13 ringleader one step closer to deportation after judge dismisses charges
A federal judge has cleared the way for a man described by the Department of Justice (DOJ) as MS-13's leader on the East Coast to be deported. U.S. District Court Judge Claude Hilton dismissed criminal charges against Henrry Josue Villatoro Santos, 24, of El Salvador on Wednesday, according to his lawyer, Muhammad Elsayed. Villatoro Santos was arrested during a raid on his Woodbridge, Virginia, home on March 27 and was charged with being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm. He was considered one of the top three leaders of the vicious transnational MS-13 gang living in the United States, and federal authorities noted that they had found MS-13 indicia in his bedroom and garage. On April 9, Attorney General Pam Bondi filed a motion to dismiss the gun charges against Villatoro Santos in an effort to have him immediately deported to El Salvador, rather than standing trial and potentially spending years in a U.S. prison. That motion was briefly delayed by a federal judge on April 18, before Wednesday's decision was handed down. Elsayed told Fox News Digital that he filed an emergency habeas petition and a temporary restraining order against the government to stop his client's deportation. He said that since Wednesday's hearing, "the government has finally confirmed that it has placed Mr. Villatoro in removal proceedings and that he will be given his day in court as required by law." "No one in America should have to wonder whether they will be afforded their basic due process rights when they are detained by the government, and no one should live in fear that they may be forcibly disappeared to a foreign autocracy in the middle of the night," he said. He accused the federal government of turning the case into a "publicity stunt." "If we do away with due process for alleged undocumented immigrants, then American citizens are equally at risk of being unlawfully deported—how do you prove that you are not in the country illegally if you are never given your day in [court]?" Elsayed asked. A spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Eastern District of Virginia declined to comment, citing the ongoing nature of the case. Fox News Digital reached out to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Since President Donald Trump was inaugurated in January, his administration has made it a top priority to arrest and deport the most violent illegal aliens in the country, cracking down especially hard on MS-13 and the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. Assistant Secretary for the Department of Homeland Security Tricia McLaughlin told Fox News Digital that the gangs are "getting desperate," and that 2,394 illegal immigrant gang members were arrested in Trump's first 100 days. "This is just the beginning," she said. "This is just 100 days. We want to get these arrest numbers up. We want to get MS-13, Tren de Aragua — these really bad actors — out of our country. And that's what we're going to deliver on," she said.
CBS News
30-04-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Judge dismisses charges against man accused by attorney general, FBI director of being MS-13 leader
Why the DOJ wants to drop charges against an alleged MS-13 gang leader Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton on Wednesday dismissed criminal charges against Henrry Villatoro Santos, a Virginia man accused of being a regional leader of the violent MS-13 gang, clearing the way for expedited deportation proceedings. Earlier this month, the Justice Department asked the court to drop the charges, indicating the government planned to deport Villatoro Santos. A U.S. marshal from the Fugitive Task Force was in the courtroom, suggesting Villatoro Santos could be transferred into immigration custody after the hearing. "They're likely to take him very quickly," Villatoro Santo defense attorney, Muhammad Elsayed, said after the hearing. Villatoro Santos's arrest was announced last month in a nationally televised news conference featuring Attorney General Pam Bondi, who alleged he was the "East Coast leader" of the MS-13 transnational gang. He was accused of unspecified violent crimes and helping to lead the gang's criminal attacks across the country. But as the Justice Department has pursued the dismissal of charges against Villatoro Santos, it has not publicly tied him to any acts of violence. His attorneys have repeatedly questioned the nature of the proceedings. "This is an unusual case," Elsayed said in court, emphasizing that it was up to the court "to determine whether the motion was made in good faith." He argued that the Justice Department had provided "no explanation whatsoever" for withdrawing the charges and questioned the lack of clarity regarding what legal process would follow. "There will likely be additional proceedings," Elsayed said after the hearing. Villatoro Santos was facing a federal felony gun possession charge in Virginia. Charging documents in his criminal case made only a fleeting reference to MS-13. An immigration officer's affidavit said, "FBI agents and TFOs also observed indicia of MS-13 association in the garage bedroom" of Villatoro-Santo's home. Villatoros Santo's attorney accused the Justice Department of misusing Rule 48(a) — the procedural tool used to dismiss the indictment — arguing it amounted to an attempt to bypass due-process protections. "They want to deport him without due process," Elsayed said, referencing statements by Bondi and criticizing the lack of input from the Department of Homeland Security. "The court has to dig deeper than just the basic motion," Elsayed argued, alleging "prosecutorial harassment" and drawing parallels to other politically sensitive case dismissals, including that of New York City Mayor Eric Adams. "The DOJ did not seek to remove this case without knowing what's coming next," Elsayed said, warning of a potential "unlawful deportation" and citing past instances when the administration had "defied court orders" in deportation cases. Government attorneys countered that the defense had already delayed the case beyond its initial request, arguing, "The defendant cannot continue to tread water on the criminal docket."
USA Today
21-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Falcons double up on edge rushers in PFF's new 7-round mock draft
Falcons double up on edge rushers in PFF's new 7-round mock draft PFF projects Falcons to take multiple EDGE prospects in new 7-round NFL mock draft The Atlanta Falcons are in a unique spot as we approach the 2025 NFL draft. They don't have much draft capital -- five total picks -- but could still potentially trade veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins for an additional pick on Day 2 or Day 3. According to a new report from ESPN, Atlanta has privately discussed moving Cousins with a few teams ahead of the draft. The compensation would vary based on the amount of Cousins' salary the Falcons are willing to pay, per Schefter. Trading down is another potential option for Atlanta, assuming there's a team that wants to move up to pick No. 15. For now though, the Falcons have just two top-100 picks, one fourth-round pick and two seventh-rounders. If the team walks away from the draft with at least two starters, that would have to be considered a win for Terry Fontenot. Pro Football Focus released a new seven-round mock draft that features 32 contributors making picks on behalf of each NFL team. PFF's Khaled Elsayed made all five picks for the Falcons, starting with Marshall EDGE Mike Green in Round 1. "The Falcons come into another draft needing help off the edge, and Green offers tantalizing, elite production," wrote Elsayed. "He graded above 90.0 as a pass rusher and a run defender, in addition to boasting a pass-rush win rate over 20% and a run-stop rate over 9%. He also allayed fears about his competition level at Marshall with a standout performance at the Senior Bowl." Green is a blue-chip caliber talent, and someone the Falcons could start on Day 1. In Round 2 of PFF's mock draft, Atlanta lands another potential starter in Kentucky cornerback Maxwell Hairston. PFF points out Hairston's impressive 2023 campaign. "Hairston missed the middle portion of the 2024 season but was outstanding in 2023 at Kentucky, recording five interceptions, eight forced incompletions and an 85.3 coverage grade — placing him in the same range as 2024 first-round pick Terrion Arnold," explained Elsayed. The Falcons don't have a third-round pick but land another front-seven prospect in Round 4 of PFF's mock draft, taking Central Arkansas edge David Walker. While there isn't a breakdown of the selection, Walker was highly productive over the last three seasons. In 2022, he dominated with 16 sacks and 31 hurries for the Bears. Last season, he racked up 12 sacks and 37 hurries while earning a Pro Football Focus grade of 94.6. The level of competition may not have been great, but Walker dominated consistently and would be a good value for Atlanta here in Round 4. In the seventh round, the Falcons were projected to take Miami wide receiver Samuel Brown at pick No. 218 and Alabama A&M offensive lineman Carson Vinson with pick No. 242. Check out PFF's full mock draft HERE.
