During the week of November 29 to December 5, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona charged 242 individuals with immigration-related crimes. The office filed 111 cases involving illegal re-entry and charged 118 individuals for illegal entry into the United States. Additionally, there were 12 cases against 13 people accused of smuggling undocumented immigrants within or into Arizona.
Federal agencies that contributed to these efforts include Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Several recent cases were highlighted by authorities:
In United States v. Dulce Haglaen Durazo-Torres, Dulce Haglaen Durazo-Torres was charged with transporting an illegal alien after being stopped on I-10 Westbound by an Arizona Department of Public Safety trooper. The trooper noticed suspicious driving behavior and discovered two passengers in the car who admitted they entered the country without authorization. All three individuals are citizens of Mexico and unlawfully present in the United States.
In United States v. Edgar Eduardo Quiroz-Otero, Edgar Eduardo Quiroz-Otero was charged with re-entry after removal. He had previously been removed from the United States in July 2024 following a conviction for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl in Ohio federal court.
In United States v. Joseph Tunon Esteban-Seanez, both Joseph Tunon Esteban-Seanez and Jesus Francisco Pena-Valenzuela were charged with conspiracy to transport illegal aliens for profit. After agents attempted a vehicle stop on suspicion of alien smuggling, Esteban fled but was later apprehended along with Pena and two other individuals hiding nearby. According to investigators, Esteban and Pena agreed to transport others after losing their jobs as a way to earn money.
The office emphasized that “A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.”
