ICE Cracks Down On Murder Suspect With History of Illegal Reentry

NEW YORK CITY, NY – Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) lodged a detainer against a 38-year-old illegal alien from Honduras earlier in September after the individual was arrested on several charges including murder regarding an incident where he allegedly killed a 16-year-old girl who reportedly refused his sexual advances

On September 15th, ICE issued a detainer for Jose Edwin Cruz-Gomez following his arrest in New York City under charges of murder, attempted murder, assault, vehicular manslaughter and numerous other offenses related to a September 13th incident where a teenage girl was killed and her family was injured.

According to a press release from the Queens District Attorney's Office regarding the incident, Cruz was reportedly under the influence of alcohol while, “intentionally driving his vehicle at four people, including a teenager and her mother whom he sexually propositioned just minutes earlier,” killing the 16-year-old and injuring the victim’s mother and stepfather.

District Attorney Melinda Katz said during a press conference regarding Cruz’s arrest, “the child’s stepfather and boyfriend confronted Edwin Cruz Gomez and then crossed to the other side of the street, the intoxicated defendant drove his SUV onto the sidewalk and took aim at the group of four,” D.A. Katz stated, further alleging Cruz, “pinned the teen against a pole with his vehicle and injured her mother and stepfather as he barreled his 3-ton vehicle into them.”

Cruz reportedly first entered the United States back in 2004 near Nogales, Arizona under claims of asylum, with those assertions ultimately being shut down in May 2005 after he attempted to appeal his case.

However, despite his ordered removal, Cruz had at some point reentered the country prior to April 2013 when ICE took him into custody following a DUI arrest out of Long Island. Instead of keeping Cruz detained until his removal, he was released from ICE custody on July 1st, 2013, via the “Alternatives to Detention Program” according to the agency, which said anti-detention practices were largely the result of pro-illegal alien lawfare lodged against the Obama administration at the time.

Cruz would later abscond from his monitored release in 2013, with ICE losing track of him thereafter.

Cruz would again crop up on ICE’s radar following several arrests between 2024 and early 2025 for forgery and alcohol related offenses, with lodged detainers reportedly being ignored by the original arresting agencies.
 
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Comments

Dawn

These are the kinds of criminals who should be subjected to capital punishment. We've got to stop being lenient with repeat violent offenders, regardless of immigration or citizen status. Someone like this deserves the death penalty, without question.

Josh

Or as the democrats might say he’s just a New Yorker who has substance abuse issues that he needs help with.

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