Miguel Antonio Verdugo-Garcia/Mexico/Homicide

On March 13, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement deported 49-year-old Miguel Antonio Verdugo-Garcia, a Mexican fugitive wanted in Mexico for homicide.

ICE transported Verdugo-Garcia from the Florence Detention Center to the Dennis DeConcini Port of Entry in Nogales, where he was transferred to the custody of Mexican authorities.

“The return of this fugitive to Mexico is a prime example of how ICE works closely with our international law enforcement partners to identify, locate and remove criminal aliens who are wanted in their native countries,” ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Phoenix Field Office Director John Cantu said after the operation. “This fugitive attempted to flee justice in Mexico and take refuge in Arizona while presenting a significant threat to our residents.”

Verdugo-Garcia illegally entered the United States numerous times, and was deported on three separate occasions in 2019. Verdugo-Garcia has been arrested for filing a false report to law enforcement while in the U.S. illegally.