HOUSTON, TX – A man twice removed from the United States was arrested after an encounter in which an ICE officer suffered serious facial injuries.
The subject allegedly used a metal coffee cup during the struggle, causing burns and a deep cut that required 13 stitches.
The arrest occurred during an ICE operation in Houston on Monday.
Key Points
- ICE arrested Walter Leonel Perez Rodriguez, a twice deported noncitizen from El Salvador
- An officer sustained burns and a facial laceration during the encounter
- Rodriguez was referred for prosecution on charges of illegal reentry and assaulting a federal officer
Rodriguez, 33, has been removed from the country twice and previously entered the United States without authorization on multiple occasions according to ICE.
He has past convictions in the United States for sexually assaulting a child in 2013, DWI in 2014, and illegal reentry in 2020.
During the Nov. 4 encounter, ICE reports that Rodriguez resisted arrest and struck an officer with a metal coffee cup, leading to the officer’s injuries.
Rodriguez was first ordered removed by an immigration judge and deported on June 28, 2013, and again on Feb. 24, 2020, following another unlawful entry.
ICE stated that he has entered the country illegally at least three times and has faced prosecution related to those entries.
His most recent arrest resulted in a referral for federal prosecution for illegal reentry and assaulting a federal officer.
ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Houston Field Office Director Bret Bradford said the injured officer’s life had been significantly affected by the incident and referenced broader concerns about public discourse surrounding immigration enforcement.
Bradford stated that the officer was treated after sustaining burns and a deep laceration to the face during the encounter.
Rodriguez remains in ICE custody pending further legal proceedings.
Members of the public with information related to noncitizens suspected of criminal activity or unlawful presence are encouraged to contact ICE through its tip line or online reporting form.