Federal prosecutors in Arizona were busy over the holiday week, bringing criminal charges against nearly 150 individuals in a sweeping crackdown on illegal immigration and human smuggling.
During a week-long enforcement surge running from December 20 through December 26, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona filed charges against 143 people.
The bulk of the caseload focused on repeat offenders, with prosecutors filing 105 cases against individuals accused of illegally re-entering the United States after previous removals. Another 32 defendants were charged with illegal entry.
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Beyond individual crossings, authorities targeted the logistics networks moving people through the desert. The office filed charges against six alleged smugglers accused of transporting undocumented migrants into and through the district.
The operation involved a wide net of federal partners, including U.S. Border Patrol, the FBI, the DEA, U.S. Marshals, and multiple divisions within ICE.
Dangerous Chases and Christmas Eve Arrests
Court documents filed in connection with the sweep detail chaotic scenes on Arizona roadways.
On December 22, agents near Sells, Arizona, spotted a vehicle parked next to a wash—a rural spot frequently used by smugglers to pick up migrants trekking across the border. When agents turned around to investigate, the vehicle sped onto Federal Route 19.
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According to the complaint against the driver, Edgar Valentin-Campos, the vehicle refused to stop for law enforcement. During the pursuit, the car slowed down just enough for four people to jump out and scatter into the desert.
The driver then sped through a stop sign before losing control and crashing into a ditch. Agents arrested Valentin-Campos along with two Guatemalan nationals remaining at the scene. He has been charged with Transportation of Illegal Aliens for Profit.
Two days later, on Christmas Eve, Arizona Department of Public Safety Troopers near Eloy clocked a vehicle doing 90 mph in a 75-mph zone. The car, which had invalid registration, eventually stopped after failing to yield to emergency lights.
Troopers identified two passengers, Dimer Oseas Nolasco-Mendez and Santiago Jeronimo-Jeronimo, as citizens of Guatemala. Immigration checks revealed both men were unlawfully present in the country after having been previously removed. Both were charged with Re-entry of a Removed Alien.
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