Drunk Drivers Claim Lives, ICE Detainers Filed

HOUSTON, TX – Two men are facing intoxicated manslaughter charges after separate incidents in Houston left families shattered, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is holding them pending deportation. The cases highlight a disturbing trend of repeat offenders behind the wheel, and ICE’s aggressive crackdown on those illegally present in the U.S. who commit serious crimes.

Enrique Acevedo Barocio, 27, was arrested February 2nd after allegedly causing a fatal crash while intoxicated. Just weeks later, on February 24th, Manuel Neri Mendoza, 37, was arrested for the same crime. Mendoza’s history is particularly troubling: he’s a previously deported individual with two prior Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) convictions. Both men are Mexican nationals, and ICE has lodged immigration detainers with the Harris County Jail, signaling intent to deport them should they be released from criminal custody.

The arrests come amidst a year of increased ICE enforcement in Houston. According to agency officials, ICE Houston arrested 21 criminal aliens convicted of intoxicated manslaughter and a staggering 243 aliens with three or more DWI convictions in the past year – coinciding with President Trump’s return to office. Acting Field Office Director Gabriel Martinez didn’t mince words, stating, “After violating our nation’s laws to illegally enter the country, these criminal illegal aliens repeatedly put the lives of innocent Americans in jeopardy by getting behind the wheel intoxicated.” He added a grim tally: “Tragically, at least 23 families will wake up tomorrow without a loved one as a result of this reckless criminal behavior.”

The details of the Mendoza case are particularly harrowing. Following the crash, he allegedly attempted to flee the scene, leaving a 3-year-old child alone in a wrecked vehicle with their deceased mother. This isn’t an isolated incident either. ICE reports that in the last year, 98 criminal illegal aliens arrested by their Houston office fled the scene of accidents and were convicted of failing to stop and render aid. Martinez blames a growing trend of suspects evading law enforcement, directly linking it to “elected officials demonizing our officers and encouraging aliens to evade arrest.”

Grimy Times has reviewed records of several other recent ICE arrests. Samuel Valenzuela-Martinez, 55, a five-time deported Mexican national with three prior DWIs, a hit-and-run, and a laundry list of other convictions including aggravated assault and fraud, was arrested July 7, 2025, and quickly removed to Mexico. Jose Jaudencio Coj Pocop, 32, from Guatemala, was arrested August 24, 2025, after being convicted of intoxicated manslaughter, DWI, hit-and-run, and assault. He was deported to Guatemala just weeks later. Leticia Caballero Guadarrama, 54, a six-time removed Mexican national with six DWI convictions and six theft convictions, was arrested March 12, 2025, and deported the following day. Ramiro Castillo Juarez, 38, and Humberto Romero Avila, 46, both three and five-time removed from the U.S. respectively, faced similar fates after being arrested for prior intoxicated manslaughter and DWI convictions.

These cases raise serious questions about the effectiveness of existing laws and border security. While ICE continues to pursue these individuals, critics argue that more needs to be done to prevent them from getting behind the wheel in the first place. For the families left behind, however, the debate is secondary to the devastating loss of life caused by drunk drivers who, according to ICE, should not have been in the country to begin with.”