ICE Assault Case in Union County Against Roselle Man Dismissed In Federal Court

UNION COUNTY, NJ — A federal assault case tied to an ICE arrest in Roselle has been dismissed in Newark federal court following months of pretrial disputes over evidence, testimony, and what could be presented at trial, according toNj.com.

The case centered on the arrest of a 27-year-old Roselle man, Hector Villegas Alvarez, who was taken into custody on Feb. 23, 2025, during an operation involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Authorities said an ICE deportation officer was injured during the arrest, and that officers used a taser while detaining him.

Villegas Alvarez was indicted in April 2025 on charges connected to an alleged assault on a federal officer.

As the case moved forward in federal court, it became focused less on the arrest itself and more on what evidence could be used at trial. According to NJ.com reporting on court filings, defense attorneys challenged the government’s access to medical records, employment-related documents, and other materials tied to the officer’s reported injuries and history.

Prosecutors also indicated they did not have body camera footage or booking video from the arrest, which became part of the pretrial disputes.

In November 2025, a federal judge issued a series of rulings that restricted how certain terms could be used during trial, including limiting references such as “assault” and “victim,” and excluding the defendant’s immigration file from evidence.

Shortly after those rulings, prosecutors moved to dismiss the indictment, stating that continued prosecution was not in the interest of the United States.

Villegas Alvarez remains detained at the Elizabeth Detention Center while a separate federal filing he submitted continues to move through court.