In a striking development for US immigration enforcement, a convicted killer featuring the numbers '666' prominently tattooed across his forehead has been apprehended by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The Arrest of a Notorious Fugitive
Antonio Israel Lazo–Quintanilla, an illegal immigrant and documented member of the violent 18th Street Gang, was arrested last month in Maryland. His shocking mugshot, revealing extensive facial tattoos including the prominent '666' on his forehead, was released by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) following his detention.
While his only recorded offence in the United States was driving without a license, authorities confirmed Lazo–Quintanilla faces serious allegations in his home country of El Salvador. He appears on the nation's most wanted gang members' list and is sought for aggravated homicide, extortion, drug possession, and multiple other felonies.
A Public Safety Threat Neutralised
DHS assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin hailed the arrest as a perfect demonstration of ICE targeting "the worst of the worst." She stated, "He may lack a violent rap sheet in the US but this criminal illegal alien is clearly a public safety threat."
McLaughlin used the case to counter claims that ICE isn't focusing on dangerous individuals, emphasising that 70 percent of ICE's arrests involve criminal illegal immigrants who have been charged or convicted of crimes in the US. She stressed that ICE is "arresting criminal illegal aliens BEFORE they can victimize Americans."
The 18th Street Gang, to which Lazo–Quintanilla belongs, was described as a 'violent transnational criminal organization' by the US Attorney's Office in the Eastern District of New York earlier this year. The gang, known as Barrio 18 in Spanish, has a significant presence across the United States and Central America.
Broader Immigration Enforcement Context
This arrest occurs amidst ramped-up immigration efforts by the Trump administration. In a related recent incident, a suburban Chicago police officer was stunned to find himself arrested by ICE after officials discovered he was living in the US illegally.
Radule Bojovic, from Montenegro, had been working as a sworn officer with the Hanover Park Police Department since January despite having overstayed a B-2 tourist visa. He was supposed to have left the US in 2015.
In another case, Marta Brizeyda Renderos Leiva, 39, was taken into custody at Salt Lake City airport after receiving a final order of removal in absentia in February 2020.
It remains unclear when Lazo–Quintanilla initially entered the United States. He now potentially faces extradition to El Salvador to answer for the serious charges awaiting him there.
