Accused Ms-13 Ringleader One Step Closer To Deportation After Judge Dismisses Charges

A national judge has cleared nan measurement for a man described by nan Department of Justice (DOJ) arsenic MS-13's leader connected nan East Coast to beryllium deported. 

U.S. District Court Judge Claude Hilton dismissed criminal charges against Henrry Josue Villatoro Santos, 24, of El Salvador connected Wednesday, according to his lawyer, Muhammad Elsayed.

Villatoro Santos was arrested during a raid connected his Woodbridge, Virginia, location connected March 27 and was charged pinch being an forbidden alien successful possession of a firearm. He was considered 1 of nan apical 3 leaders of nan vicious transnational MS-13 pack surviving successful nan United States, and national authorities noted that they had recovered MS-13 indicia successful his chamber and garage.

Henrry Josue Villatoro Santos was arrested and accused of being an MS-13 leader. (Alexandria Sheriff's Office)

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On April 9, Attorney General Pam Bondi revenge a mobility to disregard nan weapon charges against Villatoro Santos successful an effort to person him instantly deported to El Salvador, alternatively than opinionated proceedings and perchance spending years successful a U.S. prison. 

That mobility was concisely delayed by a national judge connected April 18, earlier Wednesday's determination was handed down. 

Elsayed told Fox News Digital that he revenge an emergency habeas petition and a impermanent restraining bid against nan authorities to extremity his client's deportation. 

24-year-old Salvadoran nationalist Henrry Josue Villatoro Santos was charged pinch being an forbidden alien successful possession of a firearm, respective of which are pictured. Federal officials accused Villatoro of being a apical MS-13 pack leader.  (Department of Justice)

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He said that since Wednesday's hearing, "the authorities has yet confirmed that it has placed Mr. Villatoro successful removal proceedings and that he will beryllium fixed his time successful tribunal arsenic required by law."

"No 1 successful America should person to wonderment whether they will beryllium afforded their basal owed process authorities erstwhile they are detained by nan government, and nary 1 should unrecorded successful fearfulness that they whitethorn beryllium forcibly vanished to a overseas autocracy successful nan mediate of nan night," he said. 

He accused nan national authorities of turning nan lawsuit into a "publicity stunt." 

"If we do distant pinch owed process for alleged undocumented immigrants, past American citizens are arsenic astatine consequence of being unlawfully deported—how do you beryllium that you are not successful nan state illegally if you are ne'er fixed your time successful [court]?" Elsayed asked.

A spokesperson for nan U.S. Attorney's Office successful nan Eastern District of Virginia declined to comment, citing nan ongoing quality of nan case. 

Fox News Digital reached retired to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Alleged apical leader of MS-13 was arrested successful Virginia connected Thursday, March 27, 2025. (The Ingraham Angle)

Since President Donald Trump was inaugurated successful January, his management has made it a apical privilege to apprehension and deport nan astir convulsive forbidden aliens successful nan country, cracking down particularly difficult connected MS-13 and nan Venezuelan pack Tren de Aragua. 

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Assistant Secretary for nan Department of Homeland Security Tricia McLaughlin told Fox News Digital that nan gangs are "getting desperate," and that 2,394 forbidden migrant pack members were arrested successful Trump's first 100 days. 

"This is conscionable nan beginning," she said. "This is conscionable 100 days. We want to get these apprehension numbers up. We want to get MS-13, Tren de Aragua — these really bad actors — retired of our country. And that's what we're going to present on," she said.