A 40-year-old Honduran national was sentenced in New Orleans on July 2, 2026, for unlawfully returning to the United States after a prior deportation, the U.S. Department of Justice reported.
Darwin Moradel Velasquez was convicted under Title 8 of the United States Code, Section 1326(a), which covers illegal reentry following removal. The sentencing took place in New Orleans, Louisiana. U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle announced the sentence, according to the Justice Department.
Velasquez, who was born in Honduras, had previously been removed from the country before returning unlawfully, the Justice Department stated. The conviction under Section 1326(a) applies specifically to foreign nationals who reenter the United States after having been formally deported.