Honduran National Arrested in Georgia on Child Sexual Battery Charges; ICE Detainer Lodged
Authorities in Cobb County, Georgia, have arrested a 29-year-old Honduran national, Juan Carlos Salvador-Diaz, on charges of sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl. The arrest, carried out on January 30, 2026, has reignited discussions regarding local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement in the region.
Arrest and Charges
Salvador-Diaz is facing two counts of felony sexual battery against a minor. According to arrest warrants cited by local media, the alleged incidents occurred on two separate occasions: first in December 2023 and again in August 2025. The suspect was taken into custody in Marietta, Georgia, and booked into the Cobb County Adult Detention Center.
Immigration Status and Federal Response
Following the arrest, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed that Salvador-Diaz entered the United States illegally in 2019. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has subsequently lodged a detainer request with the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office, asking that the suspect be held in custody until he can be transferred to federal agents for potential removal proceedings.
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin issued a strong statement regarding the case, emphasizing the federal government’s priority on detaining non-citizens accused of violent crimes against children. “We are asking Georgia authorities to commit to honoring the ICE arrest detainer,” McLaughlin stated, characterizing the crimes as predatory.
Background: Immigration Enforcement in Cobb County
This case highlights the ongoing shift in immigration policy within Cobb County. In 2021, Sheriff Craig Owens ended the county’s participation in the 287(g) program, a federal partnership that previously deputized local deputies to act as immigration officers. The program was discontinued following concerns that it eroded trust within immigrant communities and deterred victims of crime from contacting law enforcement.
Since ending the 287(g) agreement, the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office has maintained that it focuses on local public safety rather than federal immigration enforcement. However, Sheriff Owens has previously stated that the office would continue to honor detainers for individuals accused of violent felonies, creating a complex policy landscape that is often tested by high-profile arrests such as this one.
Legal and Community Perspectives
While the charges against Salvador-Diaz are severe, legal experts emphasize that he retains the presumption of innocence until proven guilty in a court of law. In sexual battery cases involving minors, defense strategies often focus on procedural errors, factual disputes regarding the timeline of events, or the reliability of witness testimony.
Advocacy groups in Georgia have frequently cautioned against using individual criminal cases to generalize about immigrant communities. Organizations that supported the end of the 287(g) program argue that policies encouraging local police to act as immigration agents can make communities less safe by driving witnesses and victims into the shadows. Conversely, proponents of stricter enforcement point to cases like Salvador-Diaz’s as evidence of the need for seamless cooperation between local jails and federal immigration authorities to prevent re-offense.
Salvador-Diaz remains in custody at the Cobb County Adult Detention Center as the investigation continues.
newdustininmansociety.org
ajc.com
cis.org
immigrationpoliticsga.com
cobbcountycourier.com
