FBI Arrests Last Fleeing Inmate from New Jersey Immigration Center
Last month, the final illegal immigrant inmate who escaped from a New Jersey ICE facility was apprehended by the FBI after being tracked down across the country.
Andres Felipe Pineda-Mogollon was captured in Los Angeles on Thursday following a traffic stop in the Silver Lake neighborhood. This arrest was part of an investigation led by the FBI, with assistance from Homeland Security.
“We are extremely grateful to our brave ICE agents and law enforcement partners who captured Andres Pineda-Mogollon and three other dangerous, illegal aliens who fled Delaney Hall,” said Tricia McLaughlin, deputy director of the Department of Homeland Security, in a press statement.
She further emphasized the risks associated with Delaney Hall, noting, “Politicians and activists may criticize ICE, but the reality is, Delaney Hall houses dangerous individuals—including those involved in violent crimes.”
Pineda-Mogollon, originally from Colombia, entered the U.S. in 2023 and overstayed his tourist visa. He was one of four individuals labeled as “Public Safety Threats” who managed to escape from Delaney Hall, a privately operated ICE detention center in Newark, on June 12.
Before Pineda-Mogollon’s arrest, three others—Franklin Norbert Bautista Reyes, Joel Enrique Sandoval Lopez, and Joan Sebastian Castaneda Rozada—who are all from Honduras, were captured.
The escape itself was reportedly facilitated by a disturbance within the facility, as confirmed by a senior Homeland Security official. Immigration attorney Mustafa Setin mentioned to NJ.com that around 50 detainees had pushed down a dorm wall after becoming upset over delayed meals. “It was food-related, and some detainees were getting aggressive,” he explained.
Pineda-Mogollon had previous run-ins with the law, having been arrested in New York City for theft in April and again in May for conspiracy to commit robbery.
Bautista-Reyes entered the U.S. during the Biden administration in 2021 and was arrested by New Jersey State Police shortly after for various violent offenses, including making terrorist threats.
Sandoval-Lopez, who entered as a minor in 2019, faced multiple arrests for illegal possession of a firearm and assault. Meanwhile, Castaneda Rozada entered the U.S. in 2022 and was arrested for robbery and theft.
The situation surrounding these detainees and their escape highlights ongoing concerns regarding the conditions and management of immigration detention facilities.
