Mexican National With Five Prior Deportations Arrested by ICE in California

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested a Mexican national in Redondo Beach, California on Thursday morning who had illegally reentered the United States on five separate occasions following previous deportations. Ernesto Alejandro Perez-Garcia, who has evaded authorities for two decades despite a lengthy criminal record, attributed his capture to struggles with alcohol abuse that he said finally caught up with him.

Perez-Garcia’s arrest record spans more than two decades, beginning with a 2003 conviction for driving without a license in Torrance, California. Subsequent convictions included operating with a suspended license, controlled substance paraphernalia possession, and a 2006 conviction for threatening crime with intent to terrorize, for which he received 60 days in jail and three years probation before being removed to Mexico that May.

Despite his deportation, Perez-Garcia illegally crossed back into the United States and was arrested again on June 27, 2006 for making terroristic threats. Over the following years, ICE documented four additional illegal entry attempts, with repeated arrests for disorderly conduct in Redondo Beach. Since 2020 alone, he was arrested five times for disorderly conduct, including twice in 2024 on April 17 and May 8.

When ICE agents confronted Perez-Garcia during a morning walk along the Redondo Beach esplanade, he initially denied his identity. After being shown a previous mugshot, he acknowledged his true identity and told agents he had lied “to see if I could get away with it.” He later told Fox News Digital that alcohol and a friend’s death contributed to his repeated violations.

Los Angeles Field Office Director Tom Giles stated that when local police departments decline to honor ICE detainer requests, it forces immigration officers to conduct riskier community apprehensions. Redondo Beach Police declined to honor detainer requests in 2020 and 2026, according to ICE records. The department did not respond to requests for comment regarding Perez-Garcia’s claim that officers had previously informed him of the ICE warrant.

Perez-Garcia said he grew up in the United States and feared returning to Mexico, where he stated he has no current resources. He acknowledged expecting eventual capture despite years of evasion, saying the consequences were “going to catch up with me” eventually. He expressed belief that his arrest by ICE was appropriate, though uncertainty about his deportation proceedings remains.