Austin, Texas – In a brazen attempt to evade deportation, 32-year-old Iranian national Jamil Bahlouli was arrested Wednesday in Austin on charges of failure to deport.
According to court documents, Bahlouli was issued a final order of removal in 2020 for being illegally present in the U.S. He self-deported to Canada in October 2021, but was again found to be in the U.S. illegally in December 2023.
Bahlouli was previously convicted in Montana for illegal entry in January 2024 and sentenced to time served. His final order of removal from 2020 was reinstated and he was released into the U.S., scheduled to report in person to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office in San Antonio on or about Jan. 23, 2024.
However, Bahlouli failed to report as scheduled, prompting a deportation officer to locate him in Austin on Wednesday. When confronted, Bahlouli refused to be arrested and slammed the door on the deportation officers, remaining inside his residence and refusing to exit.
The alleged actions of Bahlouli were designed to prevent or hamper his deportation and departure pursuant to the outstanding final order of removal. If convicted, he faces up to four years in prison.
Bahlouli is currently being held in federal custody pending trial. U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement, with ICE investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Keith Henneke is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Immigration Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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