A former Mexican police officer, wanted for homicide in his native country, was captured recently in southern Washington and turned over to Mexican law enforcement authorities Wednesday by officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).
Humberto Bautista-Sanchez, 64, was transferred to the custody of representatives from Mexico’s Procuraduria General de la Republica (PGR) and Mexican immigration officials by ERO’s Special Response Team at the San Ysidro Port of Entry.
According to an arrest warrant issued by Mexican authorities, Bautista-Sanchez is charged with murdering a man in Mexico City in 1994. An Interpol Red Notice states Bautista-Sanchez beat a man to death for refusing to get into his squad car after Mexican authorities found the man relieving himself on the street.
Bautista-Sanchez was arrested Sept. 15 in Richland by ERO Seattle officers after being approved as an important federal interest case earlier that month. Bautista-Sanchez was subsequently placed in removal proceedings while he remained in ICE custody.
He was ordered removed by an immigration judge last month, paving the way for Wednesday’s repatriation.
“Someone in a position of public trust who is capable of murder shows a total disregard for humanity and is a danger to us all,” said Bryan Wilcox, acting field office director for ERO in Seattle. “
“Our cooperation with Mexican authorities is imperative to ensuring the safety of our communities. ERO remains committed to locating and removing all fugitive criminals seeking refuge from their crimes in America.”
Since Oct. 1, 2009, ERO has removed more than 1,700 foreign fugitives from the United States who were sought in their native countries for serious crimes, including kidnapping, rape and murder.
ERO works with the ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Office of International Operations, foreign consular offices in the United States, and Interpol to identify foreign fugitives illegally present in the United States.
Members of the public who have information about foreign fugitives are urged to contact ICE by calling the ICE tip line at 1 (866) 347-2423 or internationally at 001-1802-872-6199. They can also file a tip online by completing ICE’s online tip form.
