Salvadoran national and MS-13 member arrested by ICE in Maryland
ROMA, Texas— U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has apprehended a 19-year-old Salvadoran national and MS-13 gang member in Hyattsville, Maryland. Anderson Geovany Romero was arrested on January 25 after being released from custody by the Prince George’s Detention Center, which did not honor an immigration detainer.
Romero, who is undocumented, faces pending criminal charges for possessing a loaded handgun and ammunition, according to ICE. “MS-13’s designation as a terrorist organization highlights the grave threat it poses to public safety,” stated ERO Baltimore acting Field Office Director Matthew Elliston. “The arrest of Romero sends a clear message: ICE is unwavering in its commitment to protecting our nation’s communities.”
Romero was initially arrested by the U.S. Border Patrol near Roma, Texas, on July 11, 2015, and was served with a notice to appear before being transferred to ERO custody. He was later arrested by the Ocean City Police Department in Maryland on July 5, 2021, for having an open container of alcohol, a charge for which he was convicted on August 30, 2021, by the District Court of Maryland for Worcester County.
A Department of Justice immigration judge in Baltimore ordered Romero’s removal to El Salvador on April 24, 2023, after he failed to appear for his immigration hearing. Romero was arrested again by the Prince George’s County Police Department on January 21 for possession of a loaded handgun, and an immigration detainer was lodged by ERO Baltimore with the Prince George’s Detention Center on the same date.