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| Updated: 8/08/2012 5:24 pm |
Published: 8/08/2012 5:05 pm |
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested two illegal immigrants in separate Hot Springs busts Wednesday morning.
The first man arrested was 50-year-old Cuauthemoc Sanchez-Lopez, who agents picked-up on his way to work near the intersection of Cove Street and Park Avenue. According to ICE agents, Sanchez-Lopez was convicted in Texas in 1993 for attempted burglary of a vehicle, and that counted as a probation violation for a 1992 Texas conviction for burglary of a habitation. Both are felony convictions. ICE agents say Sanchez-Lopez was deported in 1994, but then reentered the United States illegally and has since been arrested three times for driving under the influence.
"We definitely prioritize, you know, the worst criminals on down," said ICE Agent Andy Parker, pointing out that Sanchez-Lopez has been convicted of numerous felonies.
After Sanchez-Lopez's arrest, he told Fox16 about his 12-year-old daughter who lives in Arkansas and who Sanchez-Lopez says is an American citizen.
"I need protect my daughter, you know? I need pay my child support and see my daughter," he said, "and what you think I go do when guys put me on the other side of the line?"
Asked to clarify, Sanchez-Lopez said even if he is deported again, he plans to come back to the U.S. illegally.
"I don't care. People can kill me. I don't know what will happen. I going to come back."
The second man was arrested near the intersection of Central Avenue and Jamison Lane. Due to ICE policy, Fox16 can't release that man's name because he did not consent to it. ICE agents say he was convicted of a felony controlled substance violation in Texas in 2009 and was deported in November of 2010, but then illegally reentered the country before being arrested for driving under the influence in June 2012.
According to ICE agents, both of the men they arrested Wednesday will eventually be deported, but first, they will likely face federal prosecution.
