NEW YORK – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) removed a Colombian national Monday who was wanted by Spanish law enforcement authorities for drug trafficking and money laundering.

Christian Camilo Millan-Romero, 35, was removed from the United States by ERO officers via an ICE Air Charter flight, and transferred into the custody of Colombian law enforcement authorities upon arrival in Bogota.

“The removal of Millan-Romero is another example of ERO-New York’s public safety efforts to remove foreign fugitives who have sought refuge in the metropolitan area,” said Thomas R. Decker, field office director for ERO New York. “Providing a safe haven for criminals to hide from prosecution is not a side-effect of sanctuary cities, but rather the result of bad politics protecting criminal aliens. Because of the dangerous sanctuary policies and the reckless agendas of the politicians, NYC has become a welcome mat for criminal aliens around the world. ICE ERO will continue to remove criminal aliens like Milan-Romero in the interest of keeping our public safe.”

According to Spanish authorities, Millan is alleged to have been a member of a Madrid based criminal organization involved in narcotics trafficking and money laundering in violation of Articles 368 and 301 of the Spanish Penal Code.

On April 2017, Millan entered the U.S. as a visitor, with authorization to remain in the United States until October 2017.

In October 2019, U.S. Customs and Border Protection notified ERO New York, that Millan may be residing in the New York City metropolitan area.

On Dec. 3, 2019, ERO officers arrested Millan in Flushing, New York, and placed him into removal proceedings. On Jan. 13, 2020, Millan was ordered removed by an immigration judge, waiving his right to appeal, thus paving the way for his removal to Colombia.

Since Oct. 1, 2009, ERO has removed more than 1,700 foreign fugitives from the United States who were sought in their native countries for serious crimes, including kidnapping, rape and murder. In fiscal year 2019, ICE removed or returned 267,000 aliens. ERO arrested 143,000 aliens, more than 86 percent of whom had criminal convictions or pending criminal charges.

ICE is focused on removing public safety threats, such as convicted criminal aliens and gang members, as well as individuals who have violated our nation’s immigration laws, including those who illegally re-entered the country after being removed and immigration fugitives ordered removed by federal immigration judges.