El Paso Standard

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has deported Ruben Alonso Urbina Martinez, a 39-year-old Honduran man wanted for murder in his home country. On April 2, Urbina was flown from the Alexandria Staging Facility in Louisiana to the Ramon Villeda Morales International Airport in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. Upon arrival, he was turned over to the Honduran authorities.

Urbina entered the United States illegally at an unspecified time and location. On February 20, ICE obtained confirmation of Urbina's wanted status in Honduras and detained him in Dublin, Texas, in cooperation with the Erath County Sheriff's Office. He was processed for expedited removal and returned to Honduras on April 2.

Bret A. Bradford, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Houston Field Office Director, stated, “This foreign fugitive fled to the United States to evade prosecution for murder in his home country of Honduras. Working in tandem with our partners at the Erath County Sheriff’s Office, we were able to quickly locate him and safely take him into custody. By repatriating him to Honduras to face justice for his alleged crimes, we have eliminated a threat to public safety in our local communities and sent a resounding message that Southeast Texas will not be a refuge for foreign fugitives or anyone else who undermines the integrity of our nation’s immigration laws.”

The removal was supported by ERO Honduras and the Security Alliance for Fugitive Enforcement (SAFE) Task Force. The SAFE program, initiated in 2012, enhances the capabilities of U.S. immigration authorities to locate and deport individuals in the United States who are subject to foreign arrest warrants by utilizing local investigatory resources and leads.

ICE encourages the public to report information about foreign fugitives by calling the ICE Tip Line or filing a tip online.

For more updates on ICE ERO Houston Field Office's work in Southeast Texas, follow their social media on X, formerly known as Twitter, @EROHouston.