More than 225 charged for immigration-related crime in Arizona over a 1-week period

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Arizona charged 227 people with immigration-related crimes from March 1 through March 7.

BY LANCE HARTZLER

Mar 8, 2025, 2:00 PM Updated: 2:02 pm

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PHOENIX — The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona charged 227 people with immigration-related crimes from March 1 through March 7.

Seven different federal agencies referred or supported the cases, most of which pertained to individuals re-entering the United States illegally.

What were some of the immigration-related cases over the past week?

The District of Arizona highlighted two notable cases that involved smuggling or other immigration-related charges in a news release on Friday.

Edgar Guadalupe Jimenez-Aguilar was indicted last week on conspiring to smuggle migrants into the U.S., as well as drug trafficking.

Jimenez-Aguilar was arrested after agents with Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Border Patrol identified him as a load driver and a human smuggling recruiter. He allegedly operated a stash house in Phoenix where he hid undocumented migrants who he picked up from desert areas in Pinal and Pima counties.

Gerardo Tejada-Calleja, 22, was arrested on Sunday after he allegedly assaulted a Border Patrol agent in southern Arizona. Tejada-Calleja was charged with assault on a federal officer and illegal entry into the U.S.

Tejada-Calleja and another person were found hiding under tree near Vamori, southwest of Tucson. As the Border Patrol agent attempted to call on his radio for help, Tejada-Calleja allegedly reached for the agent’s gun and radio. Tejada-Calleja then wrapped his arms around the agent and took him down to the ground, prosecutors said. Tejada-Calleja and the other person then fled again and eventually were caught and taken into custody.

Recent period saw more than 500 such charges

The numbers announced by the District of Arizona are nearly half of what was announced in a two-week span in January and early February.

The office said that 565 people were charged with illegal immigration activity from Jan. 21-Feb. 3.

Over the first Thursday through Sunday of Donald Trump’s second presidential term (Jan. 30-Feb. 2), ICE officials said they arrested an average of 593 individuals per day. The Associated Press reported the immigration arrest rate is on a trajectory to surpass the highest daily average of 613 in 2013 under Obama.