BALTIMORE — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has arrested a 19-year-old Salvadoran national and MS-13 gang member in Maryland after he was released from local custody despite an immigration detainer, officials said.
Anderson Geovany Romero was taken into custody by ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officers in Hyattsville on Jan. 25. Authorities said Romero, an undocumented immigrant, had been released from the Prince George’s Detention Center despite a federal request to hold him. He has pending criminal charges for possessing a loaded handgun and ammunition.
“MS-13’s designation as a terrorist organization highlights the grave threat it poses to public safety,” said ERO Baltimore acting Field Office Director Matthew Elliston. “The arrest of Romero sends a clear message: ICE is unwavering in its commitment to protecting our nation’s communities.”
Romero was first detained by U.S. Border Patrol near Roma, Texas, in 2015 and later transferred to ICE custody. He was previously convicted in Maryland in 2021 for an open container violation and was ordered removed from the U.S. in 2023 after failing to appear for an immigration hearing.
ICE officials said Romero remains in custody as they proceed with his removal from the country.