Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Reentry After Deportation
Miguel Santos-Meza, 50, admitted to returning to the United States after a 2016 removal, and sentencing is set for December 3, 2026.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Immigration
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Miguel Santos-Meza pleaded guilty on October 29, 2026, to illegal reentry of a removed alien after he was found in the Eastern District of Louisiana on or about August 24, 2026. He had been deported and removed from the United States on or about September 9, 2016.
Why it matters
The plea underscores federal prosecution of individuals found in the country after removal without express consent from the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security. The case reflects how illegal reentry charges are pursued under Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a) in New Orleans and the surrounding federal district.
Santos-Meza has pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing before U.S. District Judge Barry W. Ashe on December 3, 2026. The statutory maximums are two years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and one year of supervised release, with a $100 mandatory assessment; the final sentence remains undetermined.
The players
Miguel Santos-Meza
Santos-Meza is a 50-year-old man who pleaded guilty to illegal reentry after removal from the United States.
Barry W. Ashe
Barry W. Ashe is a U.S. District Judge presiding over the federal case and scheduled to sentence Santos-Meza.
Homeland Security Investigations
Homeland Security Investigations is the federal investigative agency that looked into Santos-Meza's reentry into the country.
The details
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the matter after Santos-Meza was found in the United States following his 2016 deportation and removal. He entered his guilty plea on October 29, 2026, to a charge that carries a range of federal penalties.
Timeline
September 9, 2016: Santos-Meza was deported and removed from the United States.
August 24, 2026: Santos-Meza was found in the United States in the Eastern District of Louisiana.
October 29, 2026: Santos-Meza pleaded guilty to illegal reentry of a removed alien.
December 3, 2026: Sentencing is scheduled before Judge Barry W. Ashe.
Legal Context
The case is prosecuted under 8 U.S.C. Section 1326, the federal illegal reentry statute that criminalizes returning to the United States after removal without express consent. It shows how that provision is applied in the Eastern District of Louisiana, where the penalties include up to two years of imprisonment.
For New Orleans residents, the case illustrates that federal illegal reentry charges can carry prison time, fines, and supervised release for people previously removed. The consequences of reentering after removal are concrete and enforced through federal courts in the local district.
The takeaway
Reentering the United States after removal without legal consent is a federal crime with defined penalties, and the outcome of this case will be set at sentencing. Readers following immigration enforcement can track how these charges are resolved in the Eastern District of Louisiana.
What happens next
Santos-Meza's sentencing is scheduled before U.S. District Judge Barry W. Ashe on December 3, 2026, when the actual sentence will be determined.
Further reading
Explore more on Immigration coverage from New Orleans.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The United States Department of Justice.
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