Criminal Alien of the Week Report 05-07-20 by David Cross
It has been an interesting last first full week in the month of May when it comes to criminal aliens (illegal aliens) here in the Pacific Northwest states of Oregon, Washington and Idaho.
This week we take a look at for your Pacific Northwest radio listeners at two illegal aliens previously removed from United States who were recently arrested and charged with drug crimes in Jackson County, Oregon.
Tuesday, May 2, 2020 the Oregon State Police (OSP) issued a news release titled “Oregon State Police Trooper Seizes Methamphetamine and Cash During Routine Traffic Stop – Jackson County” that disclosed on Tuesday, April 28, 2020 an OSP Trooper, with the assistance of U.S. Immigration and customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), arrested Leonel Campos-Valdez, age 25, and Francisco Vazquez-Cruz, age 24.
According to the OSP news release, an OSP Trooper patrolling north on Interstate 5 conducted a traffic stop near milepost 39 on a Ford F-150 pickup truck for multiple traffic violations.
During the traffic stop the OSP Trooper observed various signs of potential criminal behavior by occupants of pickup truck, thus a vehicle search was conducted.
The OSP Trooper’s search of the truck uncovered 19.7 pounds of methamphetamine and $16,660 cash.
After the discovery of the drugs and cash, Leonel Campos-Valdez (ID: P00144701; DOB; 08/29/1994), the driver of the truck, and Francisco Vazquez-Cruz (ID: P00144700; DOB: 11/20/1995), the passenger, were both lodged at the Jackson County Jail for Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine, Unlawful Delivery of Methamphetamine and Money Laundering.
Wanting to know the immigration status Leonel Campos-Valdez and Francisco Vazquez-Cruz, I contacted on Sunday May 3, 2020 via e-mail ICE Public Affairs Officer (PAO) Tanya Roman.
On Tuesday, May 5, 2020 ICE Public Affairs Officer Roman sent via e-mail two separate statements on the alleged drug traffickers:
ICE Public Affairs May 5, 2020 statement on Francisco Vazquez-Cruz:
“Francisco Vasquez-Cruz is a citizen of Mexico and in the United States illegally. On April 28, Vasquez-Cruz was arrested by the Oregon State Police for charges of unlawful delivery of methamphetamine, laundering a monetary instrument and unlawful possession of methamphetamine and booked into the Jackson County Jail in Medford, Oregon. On April 29, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) lodged an immigration detainer with the jail. The Jackson County Jail did not honor the detainer and released Vasquez-Cruz the same day.
Immigration records reveal that the U.S. Border Patrol previously removed Vasquez-Cruz from the U.S. to Mexico on Jan. 30, 2016, via the Calexico, California port of entry.
Vasquez-Cruz is now considered an ICE fugitive and may be prosecuted for illegal re-entry in violation of 8 USC 1326.” – Tanya Roman, ICE Public Affairs Officer.
ICE Public Affairs May 5, 2020 statement on Leonel Campos-Valdez:
“Leonel Campos-Valdez is a citizen of Mexico and in the United States illegally. On April 28, 2020, Campos-Valdez was arrested by the Oregon State Police for charges of unlawful delivery of methamphetamine, laundering a monetary instrument and unlawful possession of methamphetamine and booked into the Jackson County Jail in Medford, Oregon. On April 29, 2020, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) lodged an immigration detainer with the Jackson County Jail. The jail did not honor the detainer and released Campos-Valdez the same day.
Campos-Valdez illegally entered the U.S. on an unknown date and location.
Immigration records reveal that on Feb. 21, 2014, the U.S. Border Patrol arrested Campos-Valdez near Why, Arizona. On Feb. 24, 2014, Campos-Valdez was convicted of illegal entry into the U.S. and sentenced to time served. He was issued an expedited removal order and removed to Mexico near the San Luis, Arizona, port of entry the same day.
Campos-Valdez illegally reentered the U.S. on an unknown date and location.
Campos-Valdez is now considered an ICE fugitive and may be prosecuted for illegal reentry in violation of 8 USC 1326.” – Tanya Roman, ICE Public Affairs Officer.
Reviewing the ICE Public Affairs Officer’s statements on previously deported illegal alien Mexican national alleged drug traffickers Leonel Campos-Valdez and Francisco Vazquez-Cruz brings one common troubling public safety / national security threat to light — both men were released from the Jackson County Jail without jail deputies notifying ICE’s Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO) — even though both men had immigration detainers lodged on them.
A rhetorical question, if state and federal law enforcement agencies like the Oregon State Police and ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations can support and cooperate in public safety / national security operations, why isn’t the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office that is responsible for the operations of the county jail a part of the previously mentioned cooperative law enforcement team?