Important News

DHS, TSA and CBP arrest man at Portland airport wanted on sexual-offense charges after release from Oregon jail

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Key takeaways

  • On February 3, 2026, DHS, TSA and CBP apprehended Manuel Cruz-Ramirez at Portland International Airport after he tried to use a fraudulent Mexican passport.
  • Cruz-Ramirez faces 2025 Marion County, Oregon charges including rape, purchasing sex with a minor, and sexual abuse.
  • CBP identified Cruz-Ramirez by fingerprints after the presented passport (in the name Moises Ezquivel Mendoza) did not return full data.
  • Cruz-Ramirez had been removed from the U.S. in July 2018, reportedly re-entered illegally, and is now in ICE custody with his prior removal order reinstated.
  • DHS criticized Oregon’s sanctuary policies for allowing Cruz-Ramirez to be released on bail from local jail before this arrest.
  • The release notes that victims may seek support from the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement (VOICE) Office and provides contact information.

Follow Up Questions

What specific policies in Oregon are referred to as "sanctuary" policies and how do they affect information-sharing or detention with federal immigration authorities?Expand

Oregon’s “sanctuary” policies are codified in the Sanctuary Promise Act and related ORS (notably ORS 181A.820 and ORS 181A.829). They generally prohibit state and local agencies from using public resources to enforce federal civil immigration laws, from assisting federal immigration authorities or honoring ICE detainers or non‑judicial requests without a judicial warrant, and limit asking, storing, or sharing immigration‑status information except where state/federal law requires it. Agencies must document and deny federal requests for immigration enforcement absent a court order; violations can be reported to the state hotline and may be subject to civil action.

What does it mean that Cruz-Ramirez's prior removal order was "re-instated" and what are the next steps while he is in ICE custody?Expand

Reinstatement of a previous removal order means DHS has re‑activated a final deportation order issued earlier (usually under 8 U.S.C. §1231(a)(5)) because the person illegally re‑entered after removal; reinstatement typically allows DHS to carry out an administrative deportation without reopening full immigration-court proceedings. While in ICE custody with a reinstated order, the usual next steps are ICE custody/processing for removal and attempted deportation unless the person obtains emergency relief or ICE decides not to remove; any pending state criminal prosecutions (e.g., Marion County charges) proceed separately and can affect timing if the person is in state custody or serving a sentence.

How do TSA and CBP use fingerprints and other data at airport checkpoints to detect fraudulent travel documents?Expand

At airports TSA and CBP capture biometric data (fingerprints) and run presented passport or biographic data through databases. CBP uses fingerprint matches against law‑enforcement and immigration databases (e.g., IDENT/IAFIS/NFIS) to detect that a presented passport is fraudulent or that the traveler has a criminal/immigration history; if fingerprints do not match the document’s identity or return records showing prior removals or warrants, CBP can detain the traveler for further investigation. TSA’s watchlist and ID‑verification processes also flag suspicious travel documents for secondary inspection by CBP.

Which prosecutors handle the criminal charges (rape, purchasing sex with a minor, sexual abuse) — Marion County prosecutors or federal authorities — and how do criminal and immigration processes interact?Expand

The rape, purchasing sex with a minor, and sexual‑abuse charges are state criminal charges handled by Marion County prosecutors (the DHS release cites Marion County charges). Criminal prosecutions are separate from immigration enforcement: state prosecutors pursue criminal penalties; ICE pursues civil immigration consequences (detention/removal). A state conviction or sentence can delay ICE removal (ICE often waits until a person finishes a sentence) and can be used as evidence in immigration proceedings, but immigration enforcement does not substitute for state criminal prosecution.

What services does the VOICE Office provide to victims and how can people access them?Expand

The VOICE (Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement) Office provides individualized support services to victims of crimes involving non‑U.S. citizens, including assistance with referrals to federal, state, and local victim‑service agencies, information about the criminal and immigration processes, case updates, and help accessing services (counseling, compensation, shelter). People can contact VOICE via its website and phone line listed on DHS/VOICES materials to request support.

Under what circumstances can a local jail release someone on bail despite an immigration history, and could a federal immigration detainer or hold have prevented that release?Expand

Local jails in Oregon set bail and may release people on bail under state criminal-justice rules even if the person has an immigration history. ICE’s Form I‑247 detainer is a request to be notified and to hold someone up to 48 hours after release for ICE pickup, but under Oregon law and court rulings (e.g., Miranda‑Olivares) detainers are advisory and generally cannot lawfully be used to extend custody without a judicial warrant or other lawful basis; therefore an ICE detainer typically would not by itself have prevented release on bail in Oregon.

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