During a week-long enforcement operation from January 10 to January 16, 2026, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona charged 136 individuals with crimes related to immigration. Of these cases, federal prosecutors filed charges against 76 people for illegal re-entry into the United States and charged another 39 individuals for illegal entry. Additionally, authorities filed 19 cases against a total of 21 people accused of smuggling undocumented immigrants into or within Arizona.
These actions were taken in cooperation with several federal agencies, including 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).
One case highlighted by officials involved Elias Alfonso Diaz-Martinez. According to a criminal complaint filed on January 12, 2026, Diaz-Martinez was stopped by a Pinal County Sheriff’s deputy for speeding on Interstate 10. The deputy also noted failure to maintain a lane and an unsecured license plate as reasons for the stop. During the encounter, signs such as dirt and grass on the passenger-side floorboard led law enforcement to suspect human smuggling activity. Checks revealed that Diaz-Martinez is a Venezuelan citizen and his passenger is a Mexican citizen; both were determined to be unlawfully present in the United States.
Officials 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.”
Further information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona can be found at http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/.
