HOUSTON – A 49-year-old illegal alien from Mexico has been sentenced for unlawfully reentering the country again.Israel Garcia-Garcia illegally resided in Houston and pleaded guilty March 20, 2026. U.S. District Judge Ewing Werlein has now ordered Garcia-Garciato serve 54 months in federal prison. As an illegal alien in the United States illegally, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment.
At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence about his criminal history while illegally present in the United States.Garcia-Garcia has prior convictions for illegal reentry and transporting illegal aliens.Authorities removed him from the United States seven times since the first instance in February 2008. He repeatedly returned illegally. On December 25, 2025, law enforcement again discovered him in Houston with no authorization to be in the country. Garcia-Garcia has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Hostetter and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Robin Whitney prosecuted 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, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.