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New Orleans, LA – Miguel Angel Lopez-Mejia, 34, walked out of a Louisiana courtroom March 17, 2026, having received a sentence of time served for illegally slipping back into the United States. Lopez-Mejia, a citizen of Honduras, admitted to re-entering the country on October 16, 2025, after being deported back to his home country on July 15, 2022.
U.S. District Judge Darrel James Papillion tacked on one year of supervised release and a $100 assessment fee, but the key takeaway is Lopez-Mejia is now in the custody of Customs and Border Protection, headed for Honduras. The charge? Violation of 8 U.S.C. Section 1326(a) – a federal crime for those previously deported who return without permission.
Federal prosecutors are framing this case as part of “Operation Take Back America,” a broad-stroke initiative promising to crack down on illegal immigration and dismantle transnational criminal organizations. The operation funnels resources from existing DOJ task forces like OCDETF and Project Safe Neighborhoods. US Attorney David I. Courcelle lauded the CBP for the investigation, while Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Frederick Veters, Jr. handled the prosecution.