U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers arrested a suspected MS-13 associate who was living "just steps" from a Long Island middle school, agency officials said.
Jamie Manual Perez Perez, 42, a Salvadoran national, was taken into custody Sept. 3 in Brentwood by ICE Homeland Security Investigations, authorities said. He was arrested after a vehicle stop and will remain in ICE custody pending removal from the United States.
ICE said Perez Perez was wanted by Interpol and had a Red Notice for aggravated extortion and threat to injure a person, based on alleged crimes in his home country. HSI New York Special Agent in Charge Ricky Patel said the suspect "resided mere feet from school property and went about his life virtually unchecked and consequence-free – until his past finally caught up with him."
Perez Perez initially was taken into custody by Border Patrol in El Paso, Texas, in April 2019 after illegally entering the United States, ICE said. Border Patrol issued him a notice to appear, and he was placed in removal proceedings with an individual hearing scheduled for February 2026, according to the agency.
"This MS-13 gang member and international fugitive mistakenly thought he could hide out in the United States to evade justice in his home country," said Judith Almodovar, acting field office director for ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations in New York City. "Let this arrest serve notice that we remain committed to protecting our communities by removing criminal illegal aliens from our country."
Patel said the arrest was part of ongoing efforts targeting transnational criminal street gangs. He added, "Children deserve to safely go to school each day without the fear of what evil might be lurking next door."
ICE said HSI New York investigators worked alongside ICE partners on the case. Agency officials did not release additional details about whether Perez Perez faces any new charges in the United States; the agency said his detention was carried out to facilitate removal proceedings and his eventual deportation.
MS-13, also known as Mara Salvatrucha, has been the focus of federal, state and local enforcement efforts for years. ICE and HSI have repeatedly cited the removal of alleged transnational gang members as part of broader public-safety operations.
Perez Perez's arrest follows a pattern of immigration enforcement actions that authorities say aim to address violent and organized crime. ICE said the suspect will remain in custody while officials complete necessary steps toward deportation.