EL PASO, Texas - On November 7, a U.S. Border Patrol agent assigned to the Ysleta Border Patrol Station detained Miguel Marines-Patino, a Mexican National and convicted murderer, attempting illegal entry into the United States.

The agent, while performing assigned line-watch duties south of the Padres Overpass, arrested Marines-Patino approximately two miles west of the Ysleta Port of Entry. At the Ysleta Border Patrol Station, agents identified Marines-Patino (aka “Pedro Rodriguez-Ruiz”) and discovered his immigration and criminal history. In July 1986, Marines-Patino was arrested for murder by police in Chicago, Illinois, resulting in a conviction with 24 years confinement. Marines-Patino has been previously removed from the U.S. on two occasions, the last one being to Mexico on March 16, 2017, through Brownsville, Texas.

Federal authorities in El Paso filed a federal criminal complaint this morning charging Marines-Patino with illegal re-entry after deportation. Upon conviction, Marines-Patino faces up to 20 years in federal prison. Marines-Patino remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing expected to occur next week in U.S. Magistrate Court in El Paso.

Every day, criminal aliens attempt to illegally enter the United States, often concealing themselves among family units or taking advantage of the current crisis. The men and women of the U.S. Border Patrol are our first line of defense in stopping these criminals before they can wreak havoc in communities all over our country.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection welcomes assistance from the community. Citizens are encouraged to report suspicious activity to the U.S. Border Patrol while remaining anonymous by calling 1-800-635-2509 toll-free.

It is important to note that an arrest or criminal complaint is merely a charge and should not be considered evidence of guilt. Subjects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.