Salvadoran man with immigration permit to be deported as ICE reveals the reasons
ICE Philadelphia arrested a Salvadoran immigrant with convictions related to fentanyl, child cruelty, and other serious crimes.
Posted on 24/12/2025 at 18:50
- ICE arrests high-risk immigrant in Philadelphia
- Fentanyl-related convictions
- Custody and deportation process
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), agents in Philadelphia arrested Arnoldo Antonio Prieto-López, an undocumented Salvadoran immigrant with a criminal history deemed serious and high-risk.
The arrest took place on October 20 during a secure transfer after local authorities honored a federal immigration detainer.
Prieto-López, 51, had previously held lawful permanent resident status but lost that benefit after accumulating multiple criminal convictions.
Authorities stated that he represents a clear threat to public safety due to the repeated and serious nature of his offenses.
Coordination with local authorities
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The operation resulted from cooperation between ICE and Philadelphia authorities, who facilitated the transfer of the detainee under established security protocols.
The Criminal Alien Program of ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Philadelphia identified Prieto-López while he was serving a sentence in a federal prison in Pennsylvania.
On July 30, 2024, ICE formally issued both an immigration detainer and an arrest warrant against him.
This coordination allowed the arrest to be carried out in a controlled environment, reducing additional risks to the community.
ICE Philadelphia arrest following extensive criminal history
Prieto-López’s criminal record spans more than three decades and includes offenses committed in California, Arizona, and New Jersey.
In 1988, he was convicted of attempted robbery in Los Angeles County and sentenced to 16 months in prison.
He later faced convictions for child cruelty and child neglect in multiple California counties during the 1990s.
Authorities emphasized that this pattern of criminal behavior demonstrates repeat offenses and a persistent disregard for the law.
Criminal convictions across multiple states
In 2014, a court in Maricopa County, Arizona, convicted Prieto-López of attempted money laundering.
For that offense, he received a two-year probation sentence, adding to his already extensive criminal file.
The most recent case occurred in December 2023, when he was convicted of possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute.
A federal court in New Jersey sentenced him to 24 months in prison for the drug-related offense.
ICE Philadelphia custody and immigration proceedings
After completing his most recent sentence, Prieto-López was transferred into ICE custody to await immigration proceedings.
Authorities explained that immigration detainers allow resources to be focused on deportable noncitizens with serious criminal records.
ICE stated that this mechanism reduces public safety risks by preventing dangerous individuals from being released into local communities.
The Department of Homeland Security reiterated that its enforcement efforts prioritize individuals with serious convictions who pose direct threats to public safety, reinforcing the role of a criminal record in ICE deportation decisions.
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