U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced on April 21 that its officers, along with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, arrested Alejandro Perla Cruz, a 37-year-old Salvadoran national and alleged MS-13 gang member, in Middletown, New York, on April 13. Perla Cruz is wanted in El Salvador for homicide and narcotics trafficking.
The arrest highlights ongoing efforts by federal authorities to target individuals accused of violent crimes who attempt to evade justice by entering the United States unlawfully. According to the April 21 press release issued by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), New York City Fugitive Operations officers and the FBI’s Hudson Valley Safe Streets Task Force arrested Alejandro Perla Cruz on April 13 in Middletown during a vehicle stop. The 37-year-old Salvadoran national is an MS-13 gang member wanted in El Salvador for homicide and narcotics trafficking. Perla Cruz illegally entered the United States and attempted to hide in sanctuary in New York to evade justice. He is currently in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.
New York’s Hudson Valley region has faced ongoing challenges with MS-13 gang activity, where the transnational criminal organization has engaged in violent crimes, including murder and drug distribution. Local and federal law enforcement have conducted multiple operations targeting MS-13 members operating in the area around Middletown and Newburgh. These enforcement actions aim to disrupt gang networks that exploit sanctuary policies to shield members from accountability.
MS-13 operates as a violent transnational gang across the United States, with members involved in homicide, drug trafficking, extortion, and other serious crimes. The gang maintains strong ties to its origins in El Salvador and continues to recruit and commit acts of violence in American communities. Federal authorities have designated MS-13 a priority target for removal operations to protect public safety.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement works in partnership with the Federal Bureau of Investigation through joint task forces such as the Hudson Valley Safe Streets Task Force to target criminal illegal aliens and gang members. ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations division focuses on locating and removing individuals with serious criminal histories and outstanding foreign warrants. These collaborations enhance community safety by ensuring dangerous fugitives face justice either in the United States or their home countries.
