Ernesto Alejandro Perez-Garcia, a Mexican national, was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Redondo Beach, California, early Thursday morning. Perez-Garcia, who has a history of arrests dating back to 2003 for various offenses, including alcohol-related incidents, admitted that his drinking was a significant factor leading to his arrest. He has illegally entered the U.S. five times and attempted to enter four additional times.
During the arrest, Perez-Garcia initially denied his identity but later acknowledged it when confronted with a mugshot. He stated, "I’m busted, you know, in other words, I’m f---ed." He expressed surprise at being arrested, as he was on his usual morning walk when ICE agents approached him.
Perez-Garcia has a lengthy criminal history, including convictions for driving without a license and making terroristic threats. He was first removed from the U.S. in 2006 but re-entered at an unknown date. Since 2020, he has faced multiple arrests for disorderly conduct, with the Redondo Beach Police Department declining to honor ICE detainer requests on two occasions.
Tom Giles, the Los Angeles Field Office Director for ICE, emphasized the risks posed to officers and the community when local jurisdictions do not cooperate with detainer requests. Perez-Garcia stated he believes his arrest is fair and acknowledged the challenges he faces in returning to the U.S., where he has family.