ICE Arrests MS-13 Suspect in Removal Proceedings After Prison
Josue Coreas-Chavez walked out of a New York prison on April 18 — and ICE agents were waiting for him. The 29-year-old Salvadoran man, suspected of ties to MS-13, was arrested on the spot and placed in removal proceedings. His case is a sharp reminder of how quickly deportation can follow a criminal sentence.
ICE Arrests Man at Prison Gate, Removal Proceedings Begin
On April 18, 2026, ICE Buffalo agents arrested Josue Coreas-Chavez, a 29-year-old man from El Salvador, the moment he walked out of Wyoming Correctional Facility in Attica, New York. ICE says he is a suspected MS-13 gang member. He is now in ICE custody and faces removal proceedings — the official legal process that can lead to deportation.
In January 2025, a Suffolk County Court sentenced Coreas-Chavez to three years in prison and five years of supervised release for second-degree attempted robbery. He also received sentences of one to three years for conspiracy and 364 days for criminal facilitation. ICE says he faces additional charges, including robbery, kidnapping, assault, coercion, unlawful imprisonment, and grand larceny.
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Immigrant rights, appeals and protective measures
Coreas-Chavez first entered the United States on March 22, 2014, near Hidalgo, Texas. He crossed without being inspected or admitted by a U.S. immigration officer. U.S. Border Patrol arrested him at the time — he was 17 years old and traveling alone. Officials transferred him to the Health and Human Services Office of Refugee Resettlement (the federal agency that cares for unaccompanied children), which later released him to his father in New York.
What This Means for People in Removal Proceedings
This case shows how ICE coordinates with local jails and prisons to arrest people immediately after they finish a criminal sentence. If you or someone you know is in removal proceedings — especially after a criminal conviction — the timeline for action is short. You have 30 days to appeal an order of removal. Missing that deadline can end your options quickly.
What to Do
- Contact an immigration lawyer immediately if you or a family member is arrested by ICE or placed in removal proceedings. Time limits are strict — you have only 30 days to appeal a removal order.
- Do not ignore a Notice to Appear (NTA) — this is the document that starts removal proceedings. Missing your immigration court hearing almost always results in a deportation order issued without you present.
- Ask about a bond hearing — if ICE detains someone, a lawyer can request a hearing before an immigration judge to ask for release on bond while the case continues.
- If you have a criminal record, talk to an immigration attorney before your release date. ICE often arrests people at the jail or prison exit, so planning ahead matters.
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When someone with a criminal record is released from custody, ICE often has a detainer — a request to hold that person — already in place. At that point, the priority is getting legal representation before the first immigration court hearing, because any statements made without counsel can hurt the case. If the person entered as an unaccompanied minor, that history may be relevant to certain forms of relief, such as Special Immigrant Juvenile Status or asylum, but those options must be raised quickly given the 30-day appeal deadline on removal orders. Anyone in this situation should consult a qualified immigration attorney as soon as possible.