Immigration Agents Arrest ‘Most Wanted Fugitive’ In New Jersey

NEWARK, NJ — Authorities from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office in Newark apprehended one of the agency’s “Most Wanted Fugitives” in New Jersey earlier this week.

ICE agents with the Newark Fugitive Operations team arrested Javier Atlixqueno-Vaquero, 37, “as he left his residence” on Tuesday evening. Authorities didn’t specify the town or county where he was living.

According to a statement from ICE, an immigration judge ordered Atlixqueno-Vaquero - a citizen of Mexico - to be removed from the United States on May 7, 2004. U.S. authorities removed Atlixqueno-Vaquero from the country and transported him to Mexico on May 19, 2004.

He “unlawfully re-entered the U.S. at an unknown date,” ICE officials stated.

Authorities said that Atlixqueno-Vaquero is a convicted felon and was wanted for sexual assault on a minor, felony sale of hallucinogen/narcotic controlled substance and felony failure to appear.

ICE officials recently placed Atlixqueno-Vaquero on the agency’s Most Wanted Fugitives list for “Enforcement and Removal.” Officials had listed his last known location as Connecticut.

“A convicted felon and one of our most wanted fugitives, Mr. Atlixqueno-Vaquero is a threat no more,” wrote John Tsoukaris, ICE field office director for Enforcement and Removal Operations in Newark.

Tsoukaris stated Wednesday that Atlixqueno-Vaquero is in custody and awaiting removal from the United States.

• See related article: N.J. Immigrants Are Taxpaying, Hardworking Residents, Study Says

Authorities said that The ICE National Criminal Analysis and Targeting Center provided critical investigative support for Tuesday’s arrest, including criminal and intelligence analysis “from a variety of sources.”

Atlixqueno-Vaquero’s arrest comes less than two months after ICE agents at the Newark office arrested 82 “priority enforcement targets” throughout New Jersey during a massive, five-day operation.

According to ICE officials, the arrestees were nationals of Brazil, Colombia, China, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, England, Ghana, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Jamaica, Kenya, Mexico, Peru, Philippines and the Ukraine.

ICE officials said that the arrestees ranged from 18 to 66-years-old and were previously convicted for “a variety of offenses,” including attempted murder, robbery, criminal sexual contact of a child, endangering the welfare of a child, child abuse, aggravated assault, distribution of narcotics, larceny, DUI, possession of a weapon and domestic violence.

• See related article: Feds Arrest 82 In N.J. During Massive Immigration Sweep

ICE detainees are currently housed at multiple facilities in Newark and Essex County, where federal officials contract with the county and its subcontractor, the embattled Community Education Center Inc. (CEC), one of the nation’s largest providers of re-entry and in-prison treatment services.

• See related article: Essex County and N.J. Prison Contractor Must Fork Out $4.8M In Back Pay
• See related article: ICE Immigrant Detainee Dies In Essex County: Prisoner Death Toll Increases

IMMIGRATION PROTESTS

Pro-immigration activists have been conducting recent protests and rallies across New Jersey, many of them in reaction to President Trump’s recent travel ban on several nations with majority Muslim populations.

In late January, waves of protesters across North Jersey surged against President Trump’s recent executive order on immigration, rallying at locations including Newark Airport, the Elizabeth Detention Center, the Hudson County Jail and the municipal green in Teaneck.

• See related article: New Jersey Protests Trump’s Immigration Ban [VIDEOS, PHOTOS]

Students at several New Jersey universities have been conducting sustained protests in support of undocumented immigrant students, and multiple college administrators at schools including Rutgers University, Stevens Institute, Montclair State University, Seton Hall and Princeton University, have issued pro-immigration statements.

• See related article: N.J. Colleges Criticize Trump Travel Ban, Will Protect Immigrant Students

Several municipalities and local governments have also pledged to protect the rights of their undocumented residents, assuming a defacto “sanctuary city” stance that may cost them federal funding, according to Trump.

• See related article: Maplewood 1st N.J. Town To Offer Immigrants ‘Sanctuary’ In 2017
• See related article: Will Newark's 'Sanctuary' Stance Draw Trump's Wrath and Cost City Funds?

File Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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