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Indictment links to smuggling and obtaining false Vermont documents
By Michael Donoghue, Vermont News First
A Migrant Justice leader in Burlington, who was detained by the Border Patrol in Richford last summer, has now been indicted on criminal charges of conspiracy to bring aliens to the United States, actually bringing aliens into the country, conspiracy to produce identity documents, and producing fraudulent identity documents, court records show.
The U.S. Border Patrol arrested Jose Ignacio De La Cruz De La Rosa, 30, recently of Burlington as he arrived at work in Essex this morning, officials said.
De La Cruz, also known as “Nacho,” is scheduled to have an initial appearance and arraignment this afternoon before Chief Federal Judge Christina Reiss in Burlington.
“The nine-count indictment alleges that between November of 2022 and June of 2025, De La Cruz De La Rosa smuggled people across international borders and fraudulently obtained Vermont identification documents for people living outside Vermont,” First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Ophardt said.
They included documents from the Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles.
Two other persons also were charged in the 9-count federal indictment, but their names are blacked out, apparently because they are not in custody.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Turner has filed a lengthy motion on why De La Cruz is likely to flee and that he needs to be jailed pending trial.
De La Cruz reportedly participated in a multi-year conspiracy to illegally bring aliens to the U.S. and to transport them within the country in furtherance of their illegal entry, court records note.
De La Cruz also reportedly participated in a multi-year conspiracy to produce identity documents. As a part of the conspiracy case, De La Cruz renewed Vermont driver’s privilege cards for aliens living outside of Vermont, the indictment charges.
He also took learner’s privilege tests on behalf of others. De La Cruz reportedly received $500 per card, court records note.
De La Cruz faces up to 15 years of imprisonment if convicted, and a mandatory minimum sentence of 3 years.
Ophardt commended the lengthy investigative work of the U.S. Border Patrol and Homeland Security Investigations.
“These are serious criminal offenses. I am grateful for the careful and thorough investigation conducted by our law enforcement partners,” Ophardt said.
The case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
Last year De La Cruz and his stepdaughter, Heidi Perez Alfaro, then 18, were living in Milton when the Border Patrol stopped them about noon June 14, 2025 while they said they were delivering meals to farm workers in Richford.
They were uncooperative with Border Patrol Agents, who were forced to break open a windw in their vehicle, court records note.
A subsequent sworn affidavit from a veteran Border Patrol Agent elaborated the legal justification, including De La Cruz being linked to possible smuggling efforts. The 18-page affidavit included details about an April 2025 incident that netted six arrests in Richford by the U.S. Border Patrol in Vermont.
The 2025 affidavit also noted De La Cruz was removed from the United States in 2022 at a Border Patrol checkpoint in Del Rio, Texas, but re-entered the country.
The specific details of the removal were limited due to COVID procedures when the Border Patrol was told under President Joe Biden to “catch-and-release” with as little human interaction as possible.
Court records note De La Cruz had re-entered the United States within a month of his removal. He had 3-year-old child, who is a U.S. citizen, according to a 2025 court filing on his behalf.
De La Cruz and Perez Alfaro, who are both Mexicans, had no legal status in the United States and been active with Migrant Justice, records show. Migrant Justice, a non-profit advocacy group, had argued they were detained for no known reason.
The U.S. Border Patrol said otherwise and provided some specifics in the affidavit last year.
The cellphone seized from De La Cruz during the traffic stop in Richford has the same number used during a smuggling event April 9 to April 11, 2025, the Border Patrol said in court records. The cellphone number was used to facilitate transportation for at least one alien smuggled into the United States during the April case, records show.
Six illegal immigrants — two from Mexico, two from Venezuela and two from Ecuador — were apprehended during the April incident. At least four were held for three days before pleading guilty in criminal court. The four were sentenced to time served and eventually deported.
The Ecuadoran couple, who were operating the minivan in April, were identified as Manuel Rolando Meza-Cambo and a female co-worker listed as “D.C.C.C.” in court papers. They both admitted they were in the country illegally and were living in Albany, N.Y., records show.
Meza-Cambo, 35, struck a deal with the prosecution to plead guilty to bringing in and harboring illegal aliens, records show. It is unclear from federal court records what happened to his assistant in the smuggling operation.
A longtime Border Patrol Agent, who was on duty in June 205 in the Richford area when the meals reportedly were being delivered, said the movements by De La Cruz’s van were suspicious and the conduct of the two occupants was dubious for a rural area with only a small number of residences and farms.
The nearby terrain is good for both smuggling aliens and avoiding detection, while also serving as a waiting area for past illegal border crossings, the agent noted.
“During one of these previous events, an alien smuggler used a large passenger van to pick up migrants after they had crossed illegally into the United States,” the affidavit said.
The Border Patrol asked a federal judge last year to allow for a complete forensic examination of De La Cruz’s cellphone to find more evidence of a conspiracy for human smuggling and illegal entry, court records note.
It proved to be a gold mine for information about the human smuggling operation, court records said.
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Categories: Border, Federal Court Action
“The U.S. Border Patrol arrested Jose Ignacio De La Cruz De La Rosa, 30, recently of Burlington” Of Burlington ? Realy ? “a female co-worker listed as “D.C.C.C.” DCCC ? Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee ?
Protest that arrest……too funny.
Wonder if it will be accurately reported on 7 Days, VPR and VT Digger?
Watch the spin, it’s going to be crazy.
I’m getting dizzy just thinking about it.
Story easily summed up by VTDigger and VermontPublic using the recurring phrase: “no human is illegal”…
I prefer Mike Donoghue’s comprehensive report.
Fortunately, The Prosecuter will NOT be Sarah George. That is a plus, if there are any
, in looking forward.
My thoughts exactly. If it was Sarah George he would have already been released and would resume his smuggling business. Is it unusual for somebody to have 8 different names. Just wondering.
So, it would now be an easy investigation to search all the “new” from nowhere Vermont Drivers license cards, that Vermont is running cover for illegal activities, for drug smuggling for human trafficking.
The state of Vermont is complicit in this for aiding and abetting criminal activity, which also contribute to voter suppression by getting non-citizens the right to vote. Some might view this as treasonous toward the constitution, our state and country.
Oh, but nothing to see here in Lilly white Vermont. No corruption, no none whatsoever.
So, if we make it legal to perform illegal activities………does that make it right? Nobody is breaking the law now, they are just following corrupt laws. That’s how the criminal mind of Montpelier works.
We’ll make it easy to kill people, we’ll start on the fringes, those under 10 lbs and of old age….we’ll work our way to others, oh wait they already did! Take this jab and shut your mouth……….nothing to see here, nope. What happened to my body my choice, lol…..
Nacho yo’ Country…..
thank you ICE!
For the safety of America, we need to have these people convicted and deported. Not only did he falsify information and make fake IDs, he also took tests illegally for other people and traffic humans into the United States illegally. This is punishable by 10 years in Federal prison. Democrats are trying to protect people like this, and it just proves that Democrats are domestic terrorists! Maybe it’s time we deport the Democrats along with these illegals
Good, finally !
What are the odds of a conviction in Vermont, even if they have video of the crime?
From what I have seen in the Federal Court System, it is better. Time will tell here in VT, the bleeding hearts will be out in force and wrking behind the scenes to pull a “trip ‘ em up action”….. all the nonsense from those folks will need to watched like a hawk.
But, the Feds can take these trials anywhere there is a U S Courthouse, so don’t rule that out either.
Deport the scumbag! start enforcing and upholding the laws!!!!
Ship “Nacho” to CECOT!
Imprisonment is more like it.
I have noticed that many of the articles coming from Vermont Publishers refer to possibly illegal “immigrants” as “migrants”. For the heck of it, I searched for the definition of the word “migrant”. I was shocked to see this response from the bing.com search engine.
https://www.bing.com/search?q=migrate+in+a+sentence&FORM=MRSDYN
Just in case the link does not work for you, this is what the sentence used for “used in a sentence” purposes is!!! –
“People in the red states who can think coherently are going to migrate to the blue states.”
I KID YOU NOT! I took a clip of the web page but I don’t know how to post the picture in these comments. People are being brainwashed by media! I only have that browser because I recently had to have my computer re-programed and haven’t made all the changes I need to make.
Migrant Justice, Inc – EIN 81-4176655, needs to have their non-profit status reviewed and revoked.
Too many red flags on their IRS Form 990 tax documents.
I’ve known that for years.
They actively aid and abet those engaged in obstruction of justice. They should be taken down using RICO laws.
Thanks for the facts Mike D. Watching for how other Vermont media avoids or spins this development. Nacho best look migrant justice. (Couldn’t help that) 😉
If Migrant Justice was really interested in “migrant justice”, they would spend their resources pushing congress to reform the agricultural visa policies to allow for year-round work. Pat Leahy tried and failed to get this to happen for 30+ years. What is the problem? if we have solid policies for those who pick apples seasonally which include vetting and sponsorship requirements, just make these same options available for year-round farm work. It’s not that complicated.
Exactly, but most legislators would rather shout, whine, point fingers at someone else rather than actually address the issue. Apparently it’s easier b!+ch about the LAW being enforced than it is to CHANGE the law! 🤔
People (protesters) demorats, progressives etc. Is there going to be a riot over this too. Your own leader busted for doing all of this. I hope he gets the maximum sentence for all this. No wonder ICE is focusing on Vermont, it is because of idiots like this. So Nacho, what are you going to tell you followers now?