August 15, 2008

ICE deports former Peruvian military officer accused of human rights violations
Alleged victims included children, pregnant women, elderly people and political opponents

WASHINGTON - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) returned to Lima, Peru today, Juan Manuel Rivera-Rondon, a former Peruvian Army officer who allegedly participated in the massacre of 69 villagers during a 1985 military raid in an area known as a stronghold of the Shining Path guerilla group.

Rondon was returned on a special charter flight to Peru utilizing a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) aircraft after he resisted removal via commercial flight on June 30, 2008. Rondon was turned over to the custody of Peruvian authorities at the airport upon arrival in Lima.

"Mr. Rondon is being returned to Peruvian authorities in Lima today to face the charges he fled. This is another example of how ICE will not allow the United States to be a safe haven for those who have come to our country in an effort to evade prosecution and punishment for the crimes they committed against others," said Julie L. Myers, Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security for ICE. "We will not relent in our efforts to ensure that human rights violators are brought to justice and removed from the United States."

Identifying, investigating, and removing human rights violators from the United States is one of ICE’s top priorities." These individuals are alleged to have committed crimes ranging from religious persecution to genocide. Because of this, they are not admissible into the United States under the provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

To date, ICE has initiated nationwide over 1000 human rights related investigations or removal cases that are in various stages of investigation from over 89 countries. The suspects in these cases mostly come from Central and South America, Haiti, the Balkans, and Africa.

The public is encouraged to come forward with any information they may have regarding human rights abusers living in the United States. Nationwide, anonymous tips may be reported at 1-866-DHS-2ICE (1-866-347-2423).

-- ICE --

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was established in March 2003 as the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security. ICE is comprised of five integrated divisions that form a 21st century law enforcement agency with broad responsibilities for a number of key homeland security priorities.

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