ICE Arrests Salvadoran Man After Prison Release in New York
If you or a family member is in removal proceedings or ICE detention, lawyers recommend contacting an immigration attorney immediately — many nonprofit organizations offer free or low-cost legal help. Do not ignore any court notices, as missing a hearing can result in an automatic deportation order. You can also call the ICE detainee locator or a local immigration legal aid organization to find out where a detained person is being held.
What Happened
ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) agents in Buffalo arrested Josue Coreas-Chavez, a 29-year-old man from El Salvador, on April 18, 2026. Agents took him into custody right after he was released from Wyoming Correctional Facility in Attica, New York. ICE says he is a suspected MS-13 gang member.
In January 2025, a court in Suffolk County, New York sentenced Coreas-Chavez to three years in prison and five years of supervised release for second-degree attempted robbery. He also received a sentence of one to three years for conspiracy and an additional 364 days for criminal facilitation. ICE says he also faces other felony and misdemeanor charges, including robbery, kidnapping, assault, coercion, unlawful imprisonment, and grand larceny.
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Immigrant rights, appeals and protective measures
According to ICE, Coreas-Chavez entered the United States without permission on March 22, 2014, near Hidalgo, Texas. He was 17 years old at the time. Border Patrol agents arrested him as an unaccompanied minor and gave him a notice to appear in immigration court — a document that officially starts removal proceedings (the legal process to deport someone). He was then transferred to the Health and Human Services Office of Refugee Resettlement, which later released him to his father in New York.
Coreas-Chavez is currently held in ICE detention while his removal proceedings continue. Removal proceedings are the immigration court process that decides whether a person will be deported.
What to Do If You or Someone You Know Is in Removal Proceedings
- Contact an immigration lawyer as soon as possible. Removal proceedings move quickly. A lawyer can review your case and explain your options, which may include applying for relief from deportation.
- Do not miss your immigration court hearing. If you miss your hearing, a judge can order your deportation without you present. Check your notice to appear for your court date and location.
- Ask about an immigration bond hearing. If someone is detained by ICE, a lawyer can request a bond hearing — a court appearance where a judge decides if the person can be released while their case continues.
- Keep records of all your documents. Save any court notices, immigration forms, and legal papers in a safe place. You will need them for your case.