Honduran National Arrested in Florida After Entering U.S. Illegally Seven Times, Officials Say
A 40-year-old Honduran national, Jose Alberto Machado-Perez, was arrested last weekend in Collier County, Florida, following a disturbance at a local bar. Authorities revealed that Machado-Perez has been deported from the United States at least seven times and was currently a fugitive from justice in Louisiana.
The arrest occurred on Saturday afternoon at the El Cubano restaurant in Immokalee. Deputies from the Collier County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) responded to reports of a fight and detained Machado-Perez at the scene. Routine background checks quickly escalated the situation when deputies discovered an active warrant for his arrest out of Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Deep Search: A History of Repeated Entries
According to CCSO records, Machado-Perez’s history of illegal entry is extensive, surpassing any individual case previously encountered by the agency’s custody staff. His deportation timeline spans nearly a decade and multiple states:
2013: Deported from Arizona and Texas.
2016: Deported from Texas.
2019, 2021, and 2022: Deported three separate times from Louisiana.
Investigators indicated that Machado-Perez managed to re-enter the country by crossing at undocumented locations, evading inspection by immigration officers at designated ports of entry.
Background: The Louisiana Warrant
At the time of his arrest in Florida, Machado-Perez was wanted on a “cruelty to a juvenile” charge in Louisiana. The warrant was issued after he failed to appear for a court hearing in Baton Rouge. The specifics of the alleged cruelty were not immediately released, but the outstanding warrant marked him as a fugitive, triggering an immediate hold upon his detention in Florida.
Local Enforcement vs. Border Security Concerns
Collier County Sheriff Kevin Rambosk cited the arrest as a validation of the agency’s 287(g) partnership with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), a program that delegates federal immigration enforcement authority to local deputies.
“This arrest underscores the importance of our longstanding 287(g) partnership with Immigration and Customs Enforcement when it comes to keeping our community safe,” Sheriff Rambosk stated, crediting the 17-year collaboration for maintaining low crime levels.
However, the case has sparked immediate objections regarding the efficacy of federal border security. Critics point out that while local enforcement successfully apprehended Machado-Perez, the fact that he was able to re-enter the United States six times after his initial deportation—most recently after three removals from Louisiana alone—highlights significant vulnerabilities in border defense mechanisms. Furthermore, while the Sheriff’s office emphasized the suspect’s immigration status, legal observers note that Machado-Perez remains innocent of the bar fight and Louisiana charges until proven guilty in a court of law.
Machado-Perez is currently being held at the Naples Jail Center. An ICE detainer has been lodged against him, ensuring that federal authorities will take custody if he is released from local charges.
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