Guatemalan National Pleads Guilty to Illegal Reentry, Faces Prison Time

Two Guatemalan nationals, Samuel Ortiz-Ordonez and Leonardo Fernando Batz, have recently faced federal prosecution for illegally reentering the United States after prior deportations, both cases falling under the broader initiative of Operation Take Back America. Ortiz-Ordonez pleaded guilty in Florida, having reentered without authorization after previous removals in 2019 and 2023, and now faces up to two years in federal prison before likely deportation. In a separate case in Texas, Batz was found guilty by a jury after evidence showed he had been deported multiple times, most recently in 2020, and reentered the U.S. unlawfully; he also faces up to two years in prison and a significant fine. Both cases highlight ongoing federal efforts to combat illegal immigration, with Operation Take Back America coordinating resources among law enforcement agencies to address reentry offenses and dismantle transnational criminal organizations. The prosecutions underscore the government's continued focus on deterring repeat illegal border crossings. Sentencing for both individuals is pending.