ICE Arrests Previously-Deported Illegal Alien for Enticement of a Child in South Dakota

This illegal alien had been removed from the country FIVE times in the past

WASHINGTON – The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released the following statement after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) arrested a criminal illegal alien who had been sending sexual text messages to someone he believed was a 14-year-old girl in South Dakota.

In May 2026, an ICE law enforcement officer was working undercover in an operation to target pedophiles who use the internet to prey on children. Posing as a 14-year-old girl, the agent exchanged texts with Federico Pascual-Jimenez, a 34-year-old criminal illegal alien from Mexico. When the agent sent texts saying that the “child” was young, Pascual-Jimenez responded with “I think age doesn’t matter.”

Later, Pascual-Jimenez began sending texts describing his intentions to have sex with a child, saying “but what if you wanted to keep this relationship strictly secret – where you are mine and mine alone, and I am yours – so that whenever we’re together, I can do all the things I love doing to you?” He later began making demands of the “child,” including orders to “don’t tex[t] you[r] age you know” and “delete that text now” in reference to another text stating that “she” was only 14 years old.

The suspect: Federico Pascual-Jimenez 

On May 27, Pascual-Jimenez arranged to meet the “girl” in the parking lot of a public swimming pool in Sioux Falls. Once he arrived, HSI officers surrounded him and arrested him without incident. He currently faces felony charges of enticement of a minor for indecent purposes and illegal re-entry. His criminal history includes a prior conviction for driving while under the influence.

ICE HSI agents arrest Pascual-Jimenez

“This sicko was arrested after repeatedly sending sexual texts to someone he thought was a 14-year-old girl,” said Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis. “His criminal history includes a conviction for driving under the influence, and he has been deported FIVE times in the past. ICE has lodged a detainer asking officials in South Dakota to commit to not releasing this pedophile from jail and cooperate with ICE, so that we can remove him from our country and make sure he'll never prey on another innocent child in our country again.”

Pascual-Jimenez first illegally entered the United States through Arizona in 2001 and was granted a voluntary return to Mexico. He then illegally re-entered the country through Texas in April 2012, and again voluntarily departed the country. He then illegally entered the country TWICE through California in May of 2012 – with his second entry in May being a felony – and was deported both times. His fifth illegal entry was in July 2012, when he entered through Texas and was deported again in August 2012. He then illegally entered the country for a SIXTH time at an unknown date and location.

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