Illegal Reentrant Now Face Severe Sentences Under Operation Take Back America But It May Be Working Against DHS’s Own Goals

The Department of Homeland Security has continued to double down on illegal immigrants, with stricter punishments for illegal reentries. Owing to the rampant number of deportations under the Trump administration, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has begun using commercial airlines to transfer detained immigrants. A letter addressed to The Guardian by lawmakers stresses the “urgent need for transparency” over ICE’s use of commercial airlines.

“Credible reports indicate that individuals have been placed on flights without notice to counsel or family members, effectively disappearing from public view when flights are inappropriately shielded from tracking systems,” the letter reads. “Families are left searching for their loved ones, and attorneys are denied meaningful opportunities to intervene, raising serious due process concerns.”

The letter even states that the information regarding these flights  “is nearly impossible to find.” That said, as ICE continues to politicize immigration, repeat offenders are now facing severe sentences in U.S. prisons before they’re even deported. A 38-year-old Esequiel Rueda-Ramirez from Mexico pleaded guilty to illegally reentering the U.S. in November 2025.

A US District Judge has now ordered the Mexican native to serve 48 months in federal prison. That said, this goes against the U.S. immigration enforcement policy, which argues that illegal immigrants use American resources that legal American citizens deserve. This contradicts the broader DHS goal of reducing the burden on public resources.

In usual cases, nonviolent undocumented immigrants are deported directly. However, incarcerating immigrants for extended periods can work against the core goals of ICE, as it increases the use of American resources and taxpayer money. Rueda-Ramirez was first deported back in 2010, after which he made repeated reentries to the country, before finally being apprehended by law enforcement agents in 2022. According to the DHS, Ramirez’s case is part of Operation Take Back America.

This DOJ operation launched under the second Donald Trump term focuses on stopping illegal immigration, dismantling cartels, and reducing violent crime. “Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and to protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime,” the DOJ website writes.

A similar individual, Jose Alejandro Luna-Rangel, was also sentenced to 40 months in prison following reentry. Luna-Rangel was previously detained by the DHS after his conviction for driving under the influence with a child in the vehicle in 2016. That said, unlike Ramirez, Luna-Rangel was not considered a nonviolent offender, which likely explains why he was incarcerated instead of being deported immediately.

Following his 2016 conviction, the Mexican native reentered the country. Law enforcement agents discovered Luna-Rangel in Harris County following convictions for assault-family violence and driving under the influence, the latter being his third offense. As of writing, Rangel is in custody and will face removal proceedings following his imprisonment.