Accused MS-13 ringleader one step closer to deportation after judge dismisses charges

A national justice has cleared the mode for a antheral described by the Department of Justice (DOJ) arsenic MS-13's person connected the East Coast to beryllium deported. 

U.S. District Court Judge Claude Hilton dismissed transgression charges against Henrry Josue Villatoro Santos, 24, of El Salvador connected Wednesday, according to his lawyer, Muhammad Elsayed.

Villatoro Santos was arrested during a raid connected his Woodbridge, Virginia, location connected March 27 and was charged with being an amerciable alien successful possession of a firearm. He was considered 1 of the apical 3 leaders of the vicious transnational MS-13 pack surviving successful the United States, and national authorities noted that they had recovered MS-13 indicia successful his chamber and garage.

Henrry Josue Villatoro Santos was arrested and accused of being an MS-13 leader. (Alexandria Sheriff's Office)

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On April 9, Attorney General Pam Bondi filed a question to disregard the weapon charges against Villatoro Santos successful an effort to person him instantly deported to El Salvador, alternatively than lasting proceedings and perchance spending years successful a U.S. prison. 

That question was concisely delayed by a national justice connected April 18, earlier Wednesday's determination was handed down. 

Elsayed told Fox News Digital that helium filed an exigency habeas petition and a impermanent restraining bid against the authorities to halt his client's deportation. 

24-year-old Salvadoran nationalist Henrry Josue Villatoro Santos was charged with being an amerciable alien successful possession of a firearm, respective of which are pictured. Federal officials accused Villatoro of being a apical MS-13 pack leader.  (Department of Justice)

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He said that since Wednesday's hearing, "the authorities has yet confirmed that it has placed Mr. Villatoro successful removal proceedings and that helium volition beryllium fixed his time successful tribunal arsenic required by law."

"No 1 successful America should person to wonderment whether they volition beryllium afforded their basal owed process rights erstwhile they are detained by the government, and nary 1 should unrecorded successful fearfulness that they whitethorn beryllium forcibly disappeared to a overseas autocracy successful the mediate of the night," helium said. 

He accused the national authorities of turning the lawsuit into a "publicity stunt." 

"If we bash distant with owed process for alleged undocumented immigrants, past American citizens are arsenic astatine hazard of being unlawfully deported—how bash you beryllium that you are not successful the state illegally if you are ne'er fixed your time successful [court]?" Elsayed asked.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office successful the Eastern District of Virginia declined to comment, citing the ongoing quality of the case. 

Fox News Digital reached retired to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Alleged apical person of MS-13 was arrested successful Virginia connected Thursday, March 27, 2025. (The Ingraham Angle)

Since President Donald Trump was inaugurated successful January, his medication has made it a apical precedence to apprehension and deport the astir convulsive amerciable aliens successful the country, cracking down particularly hard connected MS-13 and the Venezuelan pack Tren de Aragua. 

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Assistant Secretary for the Department of Homeland Security Tricia McLaughlin told Fox News Digital that the gangs are "getting desperate," and that 2,394 amerciable migrant pack members were arrested successful Trump's archetypal 100 days. 

"This is conscionable the beginning," she said. "This is conscionable 100 days. We privation to get these apprehension numbers up. We privation to get MS-13, Tren de Aragua — these truly atrocious actors — retired of our country. And that's what we're going to present on," she said.