Griselda Vazquez-Duran, a 46-year-old from Mexico, has been sentenced to six months in prison for illegal reentry into the United States. This announcement was made by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
Court records reveal that Vazquez-Duran was found in Leon County, Florida, where she was arrested by the Florida Highway Patrol for driving without a valid license. Her fingerprints confirmed her identity as a previously deported Mexican national who had not received permission to reenter the U.S. since her removal in June 2013.
U.S. Attorney Heekin stated: “President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi have made enforcing our nation’s immigration laws a top priority, and my office will continue to aggressively pursue these cases to deter future illegal reentries. I want to thank our federal, state, and local partners for their hard work as we fight to keep our communities safe.”
Nicholas Ingegno, Homeland Security Investigations Tallahassee Assistant Special Agent in Charge, remarked: “This sentence underscores the critical importance of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement important role in upholding the rule of law, maintaining the integrity of our legal system, and protecting the fabric of American society.”
The conviction resulted from collaboration between the Florida Highway Patrol and Homeland Security Investigations under Operation Take Back America. This initiative aims to combat illegal immigration and related crimes using resources from various Department of Justice task forces.
The prosecution team included Assistant United States Attorneys Harley Ferguson and Justin M. Keen.
