ICE Deports Salvadoran Twice Despite Court Orders, Arrests Convicted Honduran In Maryland

Two recent instances highlight tensions between U.S. immigration enforcement and local jurisdictions regarding deportations and detentions. In New York, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deported Salvadoran migrant Jordin Melgar-Salmeron despite a Second Circuit Court of Appeals order allowing him to remain in the U.S. while his case was pending, with ICE claiming a communication breakdown delayed notification of the court's decision. Melgar-Salmeron is reportedly detained in El Salvador's Izalco prison, where human rights abuses have been reported, and his attorney plans to seek criminal contempt charges against the Trump administration. Separately, in Maryland, ICE arrested Honduran national Alex Yonatan Flores-Arce, convicted of second-degree rape, after local Howard County officials twice released him despite ICE detainer requests; the county claims legal restrictions prevented them from honoring the detainers. ICE criticized Howard County for releasing a removable individual with a serious criminal history, emphasizing the need for cooperation between federal and local authorities to protect public safety. These cases reveal ongoing challenges in immigration enforcement amid legal, administrative, and jurisdictional complexities.