In Alexandria, VA, officials have announced the arrest of Roxana Beatriz Ayala-Duran, a 41-year-old Salvadoran national. She had previously been convicted of assault in Virginia and was ordered to be removed from the United States, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Ayala-Duran was arrested in Alexandria on Feb. 25 as part of a joint operation with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). ICE officials stressed that her detention is in line with the initiative to eliminate individuals who endanger public safety.
“The apprehension of Roxana Beatriz Ayala-Duran shows ICE is dedicated to arresting and removing illegal alien offenders from our Washington, D.C. and Virginia communities,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Washington, D.C. Field Office Director Russ Hott.
Ayala-Duran first came to the U.S. without authorization near Douglas, Arizona, in 2004. An immigration judge issued a removal order for her in December of that year. However, she chose to stay in the country. In August 2020, she was convicted of assault in Alexandria, and even though she received a 30-day sentence, it was completely suspended.
ICE officials have not disclosed the timeline for Ayala-Duran’s removal but have emphasized their dedication to upholding immigration laws and focusing on public safety.