ICE Washington Arrests MS-13 Associate Wanted for Murder in El Salvador
Summary
ICE Washington, D.C. officers arrested Idalia Isabel Morales-Mejia on March 12, 2026, in Woodbridge, Virginia — a documented associate of the MS-13 gang wanted in El Salvador for aggravated homicide and illicit associations since October 2013. The Security Alliance for Fugigitive Enforcement Task Force in El Salvador provided updated intelligence in February regarding her possible presence in Northern Virginia, which led directly to her capture. The arrest highlights ICE's ongoing prioritization of public safety through the identification and removal of criminal alien offenders with violent gang affiliations.
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GovPing monitors ICE News Releases for new banking & finance regulatory changes. Every update since tracking began is archived, classified, and available as free RSS or email alerts — 5 changes logged to date.
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ICE Washington, D.C. arrested Idalia Isabel Morales-Mejia — a documented MS-13 gang associate charged with aggravated homicide in El Salvador — on March 12, 2026, in Woodbridge, Virginia. She had entered the United States illegally without inspection and was served a notice to appear before an immigration judge. The arrest followed a tip from El Salvador's Security Alliance for Fugitive Enforcement Task Force.\n\nThe arrest illustrates ICE's public-safety priority of locating and removing criminal alien offenders, including those with transnational gang affiliations, from communities even when their offenses occurred overseas. The action also demonstrates cross-border intelligence sharing between U.S. immigration authorities and Salvadoran law enforcement.
Archived snapshot
Apr 23, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
April 23, 2026 Woodbridge, VA, United States Enforcement and Removal
Meet one of the media’s ‘non-criminals’: ICE Washington arrests ANOTHER illegal alien fugitive wanted for murder
The documented MS-13 associate is wanted for aggravated homicide in El Salvador WOODBRIDGE, Va. — ICE Washington, D.C. officers announced the arrest of Idalia Isabel Morales-Mejia — a criminal illegal alien wanted in El Salvador for aggravated homicide and a documented associate of the violent MS-13 gang — April 22.
“Idalia Isabel Morales-Mejia is not only a known associate of the notorious MS-13 transnational criminal organization, but she apparently attempted to flee justice in her native country by illegally residing in Virginia,” said ICE Washington, D.C. Field Office Director Robert Guadian. “The media would consider her to be a ‘non-criminal’ because she has no known criminal history in the United States — despite the fact that she is facing charges for aggravated homicide in El Salvador. ICE Washington, D.C. will continue to prioritize public safety by arresting and removing criminal alien offenders from our Washington, D.C. and Virginia communities.”
Authorities in El Salvador charged Morales-Mejia with aggravated homicide and illicit associations in October 2013.
She illegally entered the United States on an unknown date, at an unknown location, without being inspected, admitted or paroled by a U.S. immigration official.
In February, the Security Alliance for Fugitive Enforcement Task Force in El Salvador provided updated information regarding Morales-Mejia’s possible presence in Northern Virginia. Upon receiving this information, Officers with ICE Washington, D.C. worked to locate and arrest her. On March 12, ICE arrested her in Woodbridge and served her a notice to appear before a Justice Department immigration judge.
On March 31, ICE Washington also arrested Marco Tulio Lopez-Romero, 44, an illegal alien also wanted for aggravated homicide in El Salvador.
Learn more about ICE’s public safety mission on X, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky or Truth Social.
Updated:
04/23/2026
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