Texas authorities arrest men for violent crimes after illegally entering as minors

By Bethany Blankley
The Center Square

Authorities in Texas continue to arrest violent men in major cities years after they illegally entered the country as unaccompanied minors.

They’re also continuing to arrest violent Tren de Aragua members, including in a major San Antonio nightclub bust.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Houston officers working with multiple law enforcement agencies arrested 3,600 violent offenders, including gang members and fugitives. One of them was wanted by the Houston Police Department for nearly three years.

In May 2023, the HPD asked for the public’s help to locate a suspect, Cesar Orlando Castro Serrano, 24, charged with aggravated sexual assault and kidnapping of a 22-year-old woman. Officers found her left for dead in a wooded area behind a Park Row apartment complex in the Energy Corridor. She was in critical condition, sexually assaulted, her head bashed with a tire iron.

The notice didn’t state that he was a Salvadoran national in the country illegally. He illegally entered the U.S. in 2015 under the Obama administration when he was 14 as an unaccompanied minor, according to ICE. An immigration judge ordered his removal in 2016, which didn’t happen, according to ICE records.

On Nov. 10, ICE arrested him in Katy, roughly 20 minutes west of the crime scene.

“This heinous predator should have never been in our country,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said. “After two years on the run, ICE law enforcement officers arrested this criminal illegal alien and turned him over to local authorities to face justice for his crimes. President [Donald] Trump and Secretary [Kristi] Noem will not allow criminal illegal aliens to continue to victimize American citizens. If you come to our country illegally and victimize Americans, we will find you and arrest you. That’s a promise.”

He is being held in the Harris County Jail where ICE lodged a detainer request.

In Plano, north of Dallas, a 17-year-old Mexican national, also in the country illegally, was arrested after he allegedly used a hammer to attack a woman jogging in Bob Woodruff Park. She fought back and was able to get away; he fled the scene.

“Given the nature of this incident and this attack, this could have gone so much worse,” Plano Police Det. Alexandra Cole told CBS News. “Luckily, she was brave enough to be able to fight her attacker off in order for this not to be an even more heinous crime than it already was.”

Sergio Noe de Nova Duarte was apprehended and charged with aggravated kidnapping bodily injury, the PPD announced.

At age 8, he entered the U.S. on a B2 tourist visa in 2016, with a requirement to depart by Sept. 17, 2016, according to ICE records. As an unaccompanied minor, he remained in the U.S. illegally.

Last year, at age 16, local authorities arrested him for burglary and larceny. He was next encountered by ICE but because of Biden administration policies, he was released with a notice to appear before an immigration judge in 2026, DHS said.

“This criminal illegal alien should have never been loose in our communities to attack this woman jogging in a park with a hammer,” McLaughlin said.

ICE lodged a detainer request with the Collin County Jail where he is being detained.

DHS is encouraging “victims of illegal alien crime” to contact its Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement (VOICE) Office to receive support: 1-855-488-6423.

In San Antonio, a Homeland Security Task Force involving federal, state and local law enforcement just arrested 27 TdA members at a San Pedro Ave. night club. They also seized cocaine, firearms and roughly $35,000 in cash, authorities said.

The task forces are conducting operations nationwide targeting TdA, MS-13 and violent criminals in response to a presidential executive order. The Trump administration also designated MS-13, TdA and others as Foreign Terrorist Organizations, The Center Square reported.

“The operation resulted in the arrest of more than 140 individuals, who were taken into ICE custody for further investigation and immigration proceedings,” U.S. Attorney Justin Simmons for the Western District of Texas said.

The investigation is ongoing, additional arrests are expected.