http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?se...07147&pt=print

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- We're learning more about the men charged with capital murder in last week's shooting death of a 14-year-old girl.


The body of Shatavia Anderson was found in north Houston early Saturday morning and on Wednesday, police announced they made two arrests in the case.

Police say Melvin Alvarado, 22, is an illegal immigrant who's been arrested two previous times and was deported twice. In both instances, he came to the U.S. illegally from El Salvador. Police say the other suspect, Jonathan Lopez-Torres, 18, is in the U.S. legally and doesn't have a criminal history.

Some say the case just highlights the ongoing problem with illegal immigration. Today, the president plans to sign a bill to increase security along the border.

The U.S. Senate convened a special session on Thursday, passing a $600 million bill for immigration enforcement, and sending it to the president's desk. Even so, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency is flexing its muscle in states like Arizona, where it just completed a three-day sweep this week, picking up 63 convicted criminals and fugitives.

The man in charge of ICE, John Morton, says his agency is doing its job, removing undocumented immigrants in record numbers. He says they've removed 380,000 illegal immigrants in the last fiscal year, a third of them convicted criminals.

"If you commit crimes in this country, and get deported and come back illegally, we will prosecute you," said Morton. "We will send you to jail and we're gonna send you home, again."

Here in Houston, Alvarado is the face of our latest, high profile case. He and Lopez-Torres are charged in the capital murder of Shatavia Anderson. Police say Alvarado robbed her and shot her as she tried to run away in north Houston last weekend. They say Lopez-Torres was the getaway driver.

Later this morning, the family of the victim is expected to speak out on the issue of undocumented immigrants committing crimes. We'll let you know what they have to say both here on abc13.com and on later editions of Eyewitness News.