The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico released its weekly report on immigration enforcement activities for the week ending August 8, 2025. The office, in cooperation with the El Paso Sector of the U.S. Border Patrol and Homeland Security Investigations El Paso, along with other federal, state, and county agencies, outlined recent criminal charges related to border security.
During this one-week period, authorities charged 67 individuals with illegal reentry after deportation under 8 U.S.C. 1326. Four people faced charges of alien smuggling (8 U.S.C. 1324), while another 35 were charged with illegal entry (8 U.S.C. 1325). An additional 40 individuals were prosecuted for illegal entry combined with violations of military security regulations and unauthorized entry onto military property, stemming from incidents at a newly established National Defense Area in New Mexico.
Many defendants charged under illegal reentry statutes had prior convictions involving drug trafficking or previous instances of illegal reentry.
A notable case involved Andrew Michael Dillehay, who was apprehended after fleeing a Border Patrol checkpoint near Alamogordo, New Mexico on August 4, 2025. He was pursued by agents and arrested near Organ, New Mexico after failing to comply with inspection procedures.
“These cases are 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 (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime,” according to the press release.
The statistics reported represent prosecutions initiated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District only and do not include those subjected solely to administrative immigration proceedings.
“Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the District of New Mexico. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children,” according to officials.
The District covers all 33 counties in New Mexico and includes about 180 miles along the international border with Mexico. Assistant U.S. Attorneys based in Albuquerque and Las Cruces coordinate closely with various law enforcement partners across different levels to prosecute federal offenses related to immigration.
