A Guatemalan citizen, Ruben Urizar-Beteta, has pled guilty to illegal re-entry into the United States after being previously removed. The plea and sentencing took place on July 15, 2025, in New Orleans. According to court records, Urizar-Beteta re-entered the country before March 23, 2025, despite a prior removal dated September 30, 2014.
Urizar-Beteta received a sentence of 30 months unsupervised probation and was ordered to pay a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson acknowledged the efforts of the United States Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in investigating the case. “Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in investigating this matter.” Assistant United States Attorney Irene González from the General Crimes Unit led the prosecution.
The case falls under Operation Take Back America, an initiative by the Department of Justice aimed at addressing illegal immigration and targeting cartels and transnational criminal organizations through coordinated resources from programs such as Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The operation seeks to enhance community safety by focusing on these issues nationwide.
