Jose Manuel Salazar Estrada Arrested for Illegal Re-Entry

Jose Manuel Salazar Estrada, 38, of Mexico, is back behind bars—again—after being caught illegally re-entering the United States following a criminal history that includes an aggravated felony conviction and five prior deportations. The latest arrest, announced today by Acting U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr., stems from a December 7, 2016 encounter at the Peace Bridge port of entry in Buffalo, New York.

According to the criminal complaint, Estrada drove onto the Peace Bridge intending to cross into Canada but got lost, turned around, and was intercepted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers. When questioned, he claimed to be a U.S. citizen born in Arizona—a lie that unraveled within minutes. Standard background checks quickly revealed his true identity: a Mexican national with a long record of immigration violations and a 2015 felony conviction for conspiracy to transport illegal aliens for profit.

That conviction, classified as an aggravated felony, led to Estrada’s fifth deportation from the United States and a lifetime ban on re-entry. Despite that, he was found back on American soil just over a year later. The charge of illegal re-entry after an aggravated felony conviction carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Lamarque, who is prosecuting the case, emphasized the seriousness of Estrada’s repeated violations. “This isn’t a case of someone mistakenly crossing a border,” she said. “This is a convicted felon who was deported five times and told in no uncertain terms: do not return. Yet here he is—again.”

Estrada made his initial appearance this morning before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and was ordered detained pending trial. The investigation was conducted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Hilmey. Authorities are reviewing whether Estrada had assistance re-entering the country, which could lead to additional charges.

The criminal complaint filed against Jose Manuel Salazar Estrada is merely an accusation; he is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. But for federal immigration enforcers, his pattern of return after repeated removals is a glaring red flag—and one that could land him behind bars for two decades.