Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of Texas have charged 401 individuals with border-related offenses as part of intensified security efforts. According to the United States Attorney’s Office, charges for human smuggling, illegal immigration, and return after deportation were filed in the final weeks of 2025. According to a statement from the Department of Justice, many of the individuals indicted have past felony convictions, including narcotics and violent crimes.
U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei reiterated that the district’s first goal is to ensure public safety and border integrity. The recent arrests indicate efforts to target and dismantle transnational criminal groups as well as enforce border legislation. Operation Take Back America, a DOJ-led project aimed at reducing illegal immigration and eliminating criminal elements, particularly cartels, from US territory, lies at the heart of these initiatives.
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Those apprehended have prior criminal records, including guys from Mexico, Honduras, and Cuba. Complaints include the cases of Cuban national Armando David Naranjo-Alemany and Honduran national Melvin Antonio Ramos-Avila, who were removed from the United States in November 2025 and later discovered in Texas. If convicted, the defendant faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
These enforcement actions are carried out by a coalition of federal agencies, including ICE, Border Patrol, and the DEA, in collaboration with state and local officials. The Southern District of Texas, one of the busiest federal jurisdictions, covers 43 counties and serves nearly nine million people, providing a broad foundation for these continuing border security and public safety efforts.
Attorneys from seven divisions in the Southern District of Texas are working together with law enforcement to prosecute cases under the Operation Take Back America effort. From December 19 until yesterday, 399 cases were registered, indicating an increase in border-related charges near the end of 2025.
