A Dominican national deported five times by ICE faces justice for a human smuggling operation that led to the deaths of three innocent children.
At a Glance
- Edgar Batista Matos, 36, was deported for the fifth time on March 4 after being wanted for human smuggling that resulted in the deaths of three minors
- Matos has repeatedly entered the United States illegally since his first deportation in 2010, with subsequent removals in 2011, 2019, and 2023
- He was arrested in San Juan, Puerto Rico in September 2024 on a warrant from Dominican authorities
- ICE worked collaboratively with the Dominican National Police to successfully return the fugitive to face justice
- The case highlights ICE’s focus on removing criminal aliens to enhance community safety in America
Repeat Offender Finally Facing Justice
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has successfully deported Edgar Batista Matos, a 36-year-old Dominican national wanted for human smuggling that led to the tragic deaths of three minors. This marks his fifth deportation since 2010. Matos was transported from Miami International Airport to Las Americas International Airport in Santo Domingo, where Dominican authorities immediately took him into custody to face serious criminal charges in his home country.
Matos’s criminal history and repeated illegal entries into the United States represent exactly the type of threat that proper border enforcement is designed to prevent. His first deportation came in 2010 after U.S. Border Patrol apprehended him near Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico. Despite this removal, he continued to reenter the country illegally, necessitating additional deportations in 2011, 2019, and 2023. This pattern of disregard for our immigration laws ended with his latest arrest in September 2024 in San Juan, following a warrant issued by Dominican authorities for the deadly human smuggling operation.
— Ronald Reagan Institute (RRI) (@ReaganInstitute) October 1, 2024
International Cooperation in Action
The successful deportation highlights the vital importance of international cooperation in apprehending criminals who exploit national borders to evade justice. After his arrest in Puerto Rico, Matos remained in ICE custody before being transferred to Miami for final removal proceedings.
ICE officials have emphasized that removing criminal aliens like Matos is essential to maintaining public safety in American communities. By focusing resources on individuals with outstanding warrants and serious criminal histories, ICE helps protect both American citizens and legal immigrants from those who would exploit our immigration system for criminal purposes. Human smuggling operations like the one Matos allegedly conducted not only violate our sovereignty but put vulnerable migrants – including children – at serious risk of harm or death.
