ICE arrests Palmview official’s husband

Posted: Friday, March 29, 2013 7:18 pm
Ildefonso Ortiz | The Monitor

PALMVIEW — Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrested Friday the husband of the Palmview city secretary and municipal judge.

An early-morning raid led agents to Felix Rivas Lopez, 43, a Mexican national and convicted felon who had previously been deported, ICE said in a statement released Friday afternoon. Rivas is accused of illegal reentry, a federal criminal charge lodged against people who have illegally entered the U.S. multiple times.

Rivas is the husband of Palmview City Secretary Aida Rivas, who also serves as the city’s municipal judge. Calls to her Friday were not returned.

The ICE operation took place about 7 a.m. Friday on the 600 block of Pammy Circle.

Illegal re-entry after deportation can be punished by up to 20-years in prison.

“ICE is focused on smart, effective immigration enforcement that prioritizes the removal of criminal aliens, recent border crossers and egregious immigration law violators, such as those who have been previously removed from the United States,” said ICE spokeswoman Adelina Pruneda.

ICE arrests Palmview official’s husband - The Monitor: Local News