Portland, OR. — A Mexican national unlawfully residing in the United States made his first appearance in federal court last Thursday after authorities determined he had previously been removed from the country in 2018.
Manuel Cruz-Ramirez, 38, has been charged by criminal complaint with illegal reentry into the United States. He was ordered detained in the federal case pending further court proceedings.
According to court documents, Cruz-Ramirez was encountered on February 3, 2026, at a terminal security checkpoint at Portland International Airport. A Transportation Security Administration officer reported that Cruz-Ramirez presented a Mexican passport bearing an alias, which failed to return complete data during screening.
The officer contacted U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which used fingerprint analysis to confirm Cruz-Ramirez’s identity. A review of immigration records showed he entered the United States on June 25, 2018, was placed into expedited removal proceedings the following day, and was removed to Mexico on June 28, 2018.
Federal prosecutors also noted that Cruz-Ramirez had previously been released on bail in Marion County after being charged in an amended indictment that includes rape in the first degree, sodomy in the first degree, and purchasing sex with a minor.
A criminal complaint is an accusation only. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
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