ICE deports illegal immigrant wanted for human smuggling that led to the deaths of 3 minors

An illegal immigrant was deported back to his home country of the Dominican Republic, where he was wanted for human smuggling, which resulted in the deaths of three minors.

Edgar Batista Matos is a Dominican national who was deported last week by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. ICE coordinated with the Dominican National Police to deport Batista Matos.

'ICE prioritizes the arrest and removal of criminal alien fugitives.'

On March 4, Batista Matos was placed aboard an ICE removal flight that transported the illegal alien from Miami International Airport to Las Americas International Airport in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Local law enforcement in the Dominican Republic took the illegal migrant into custody at the airport.

Batista Matos has reportedly been deported at least five times.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said in a statement that Batista Matos was first deported in October 2010 "when he was encountered by the U.S. Border Patrol after he entered illegally near Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico."

Batista Matos was also deported in 2011, 2019, and 2023. ICE did not provide details of the prior deportations.

In September 2024, Batista Matos was arrested by police in San Juan, Puerto Rico, after law enforcement in the Dominican Republic issued a warrant for his arrest for his connection with the fatal illegal alien smuggling venture.

"The return of this fugitive to the Dominican Republic 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 country for allegedly committing crimes," said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Miami acting Field Office Director Juan Lopez Vega. "ICE prioritizes the arrest and removal of criminal alien fugitives. As a result, our communities are safer and more secure."

As Blaze News reported last month, Venezuela has agreed to repatriate its citizens who are illegally living in the United States, including members of the violent Tren de Aragua gang. The deal also brought back six U.S. citizens who were being detained by the regime of Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro following the country’s July presidential election.

President Donald Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social, "It is so good to have the Venezuela Hostages back home and, very important to note, that Venezuela has agreed to receive, back into their Country, all Venezuela illegal aliens who were encamped in the U.S., including gang members of Tren de Aragua."

“Venezuela has further agreed to supply the transportation back,” Trump noted. “We are in the process of removing record numbers of illegal aliens from all Countries, and all Countries have agreed to accept these illegal aliens back. Furthermore, record numbers of criminals are being removed from our Country, and the Border numbers are the strongest they have been since the First Term of the Trump Administration!”

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