Dominican fugitive wanted for human smuggling deported from miami

Dominican fugitive wanted for human smuggling deported from Miami

Posted by
1 min read
March 6, 2025

MIAMI – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) removed Edgar Batista Matos, a Dominican national wanted for human smuggling that led to the deaths of three minors, on March 4. He was deported from Miami International Airport and handed over to authorities upon arrival in Santo Domingo.

Batista Matos, 36, had been previously removed from the United States three times. His first deportation occurred in 2010 after he was caught illegally entering Puerto Rico. He was deported again in 2011, 2019, and 2023.

He was arrested in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in September 2024 after Dominican authorities issued a warrant for his involvement in the fatal smuggling operation. ICE took custody of him on Feb. 6 and transferred him to Miami for deportation.

“The return of this fugitive to the Dominican Republic is a prime example of how ICE works closely with our international law enforcement partners,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Miami acting Field Office Director Juan Lopez Vega.

ICE coordinated the deportation with the Dominican National Police.

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.

Don't Miss

Exit mobile version