HOUSTON, Texas — ICE officials confirmed to Breitbart Texas that the MS-13 illegal alien arrested over the weekend in Virginia for two alleged murders in Houston entered as an Unaccompanied Alien Child (UAC). Border Patrol agents released him under President Obama’s catch-and-release program and he failed to appear for a removal hearing.

Douglas Alexander Herrera-Hernandez, aka “Terror,” a 20-year-old El Salvadoran, entered the U.S. in the Rio Grande Valley in December, 2014. Records indicate his age at the time of his crossing to be 17. Border Patrol agents arrested him shortly after he crossed the border and released him with a “notice to appear” before an immigration judge. An immigration judge in Houston issued an order for removal to El Salvador for the alleged MS-13 gang member after he failed to appear for his hearing.

Just under one year later, Herrera-Hernandez allegedly murdered a 16-year-old boy in Missouri City, Texas, a suburb of Houston located in Fort Bend County, Breitbart Texas reported. The boy, Estuar Quinones, reportedly witnessed several MS-13 gang related murders. Missouri City police, working with the Houston Police Department, identified the Salvadoran national as a suspect in the murder.

Earlier this month, Houston police identified the alleged MS-13 gang member as the shooter in another murder that occurred in southeast Houston. Responding officers found Kevin Alvarez, 26, on the ground with multiple gunshot wounds. Emergency officials transported the victim to a trauma center where he died from his wounds.

After being placed on the DPS most-wanted list, FBI official joined with the Arlington County Police Department in Virginia to take Herrera-Hernandez into custody.

During an April press conference announcing a Houston task force to combat MS-13 Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Department of Public Safety Director Steve McCraw responded to a Breitbart Texas question regarding the connection between the surge of Unaccompanied Alien Children (UAC) from El Salvador. The surge began in 2014 and corresponds with the recent spike in MS-13 related crime in Houston and across the nation.

“Some of the MS-13 gang members are here illegally,” Abbott said. “Some of them did come here as unaccompanied children.”

McCraw went further, explaining, “MS-13 will press children as young as 13 into the gangs in El Salvador.” He said a high percentage of the MS-13 gang members are illegal aliens.

During the announcement, Abbott said Houston will become hostile territory for MS-13 gang members.

Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior political news contributor for Breitbart Texas. He is a founding member of the Breitbart Texas team. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX and Facebook.