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An immigrant who self-deported defends himself after ICE said it was seeking his arrest in N.J.
NBC News • • nation
Key Points:
- ICE mistakenly identified Friedrich Castillo-Ormeno, a Peruvian immigrant who had voluntarily self-deported from the U.S. and received compensation, as the suspect in a vehicle attack on an ICE officer in New Jersey.
- Castillo-Ormeno left the U.S. legally in March after a final deportation order and participated in the CBP Home program, receiving financial incentives for voluntary departure, with proof of his return to Peru.
- The actual suspect, Eduardo Cruz Garcia, a Mexican national not authorized to be in the U.S., was charged with assaulting the ICE officer by weaponizing his vehicle during a traffic stop attempt.
- DHS maintained its original statement but clarified Castillo-Ormeno was not the driver involved, encouraging unauthorized immigrants to self-deport legally to improve their chances of returning to the U.S.
- Castillo-Ormeno expressed concern that the misidentification could harm his reputation and future immigration prospects, including securing documents for his U.S.-born daughter.
