ICE Arrest Under Laken Riley Act Ends in 51-Month Sentence
A Nicaraguan man trained in defensive tactics ran from federal agents, fought them, and threw an HSI officer into a door — all to avoid an ICE arrest. On June 17, 2026, a federal judge sentenced him to over four years in prison. The case is a stark warning about what happens when someone physically resists deportation under the Laken Riley Act.
What Happened
Michel Manuel Garcia Rojas, a 39-year-old Nicaraguan national, was sentenced on June 17, 2026 to 51 months in federal prison. His crime: assaulting a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agent during an ICE arrest. He pleaded guilty on February 9, 2026 to resisting, impeding, and assaulting a federal officer — and causing that officer bodily injury.
Garcia Rojas entered the United States illegally on July 1, 2023, crossing near Brownsville, Texas. He was given a notice to appear (a formal document ordering him to show up for immigration court) and released while his case was pending. In March 2025, he and another person were charged in New York state with petit larceny (a minor theft offense) and endangering the welfare of a child. Those state charges triggered his detention under the Laken Riley Act — a federal law that requires immigration authorities to detain noncitizens charged with certain crimes, even before a conviction.
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When HSI agents moved to arrest him before he was released on the state charges, Garcia Rojas ran. During the struggle, he repeatedly threw an HSI agent into a door, blocking other officers from helping. He was only stopped after several agents and tasers were used. The entire encounter was recorded on audio and video. He faces deportation after completing his prison sentence.
Why the Laken Riley Act Matters for Immigrants
The Laken Riley Act, enacted in early 2025, allows — and in some cases requires — ICE to detain noncitizens who are charged with certain crimes, even if they have not been convicted. This is a major change from past practice. Before this law, many people were released while their state criminal cases moved through the courts. Now, a charge alone — not a conviction — can trigger immigration detention and removal proceedings.
What to Do
- If you are in removal proceedings, do not miss your immigration court hearing. Missing a hearing almost always results in an automatic removal order (called an "order of removal in absentia"). You have 30 days to appeal a removal order.
- If ICE comes to arrest you, lawyers recommend staying calm, not running, and not physically resisting — even if you believe the arrest is wrong. Resisting can lead to federal criminal charges on top of your immigration case, as this case shows.
- If you are charged with any crime — even a minor one like shoplifting — contact an immigration lawyer immediately. Under the Laken Riley Act, even a charge (not a conviction) may trigger ICE detention.
- If you are detained by ICE, you have the right to request an immigration bond hearing. Ask to speak with a lawyer as soon as possible.
Fishkin Law Firm, New York
This case is a clear reminder that physically resisting an ICE arrest — regardless of whether you believe it is lawful — can result in federal criminal prosecution and a prison sentence on top of deportation. If you are detained under the Laken Riley Act, you still have the right to request an immigration bond hearing and to challenge your detention in immigration court. Anyone facing ICE contact or a pending criminal charge, no matter how minor, should consult an immigration attorney before their next court date.