ARLINGTON, VA – Federal immigration officers have arrested a Salvadoran national with an extensive criminal history, including charges for assaulting a law enforcement officer, domestic battery, and illegal reentry after deportation.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced Wednesday that Carlos Ramirez-Guzman, an undocumented immigrant from El Salvador, was taken into custody Oct. 17 in Arlington by agents with ICE Washington, D.C., in coordination with the FBI and the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service.
Officials said Ramirez-Guzman poses a significant public safety threat due to his history of violent offenses and repeated illegal entries into the United States.
Key Points
• Salvadoran national Carlos Ramirez-Guzman arrested Oct. 17 in Arlington on federal immigration violations
• Ramirez-Guzman has prior charges for assault on law enforcement, domestic battery, and weapons offenses
• He has been deported three times before and will remain in ICE custody pending removal
Arrest follows years of violent criminal activity
According to ICE, Ramirez-Guzman first entered the United States illegally at an unknown time and location. Between 1996 and 2015, he was charged with multiple violent offenses, including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon against a police officer, resisting arrest, and exhibiting a dangerous weapon. He has been convicted of several crimes, including disorderly conduct, illegal reentry after deportation, and a weapons violation.
Repeated deportations and returns
ICE records show that Ramirez-Guzman was deported to El Salvador three times — in 2006, 2014, and 2016 — yet continued to reenter the United States illegally. Officials say he was again found living in Northern Virginia, prompting his most recent arrest. He will remain in federal custody while removal proceedings are finalized.
Federal authorities cite public safety risk
“Carlos Ramirez-Guzman’s violent criminal history renders him a significant public safety threat that ICE Washington, D.C. will not tolerate,” said Field Office Director Russ Hott. “The officers of ICE Washington, D.C., and our law enforcement partners will continue to prioritize the safety of our Virginia and Washington, D.C. communities by arresting and removing such threats to our neighbors.”
Broader immigration enforcement context
The arrest comes amid heightened scrutiny of repeat border crossers and individuals with violent criminal records who reenter the U.S. despite prior deportations. Recent ICE operations across the Mid-Atlantic region have targeted offenders with histories of assault, weapons possession, and domestic violence — part of the agency’s stated priority to remove individuals who pose risks to public safety or national security.
