An official website of the United States government

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

  1. Home
  2. Newsroom
  3. Local Media Release
  4. Border Patrol Arrests 18th Street Gang Member

Border Patrol Arrests 18th Street Gang Member

Release Date
Thu, 06/28/2018

Subject had been previously removed from the U.S.

DETROIT— U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Detroit Sector arrested an active member of the 18th Street Gang in Detroit on Wednesday.

At approximately 11:30 a.m., Border Patrol agents patrolling in Detroit encountered Francisco Miranda-Espinoza, who admitted to being a Mexican citizen and not possessing U.S.-issued immigration documents allowing him to be or remain in the United States.    

Francisco Miranda-Espinoza
Francisco Miranda-Espinoza

During processing at the Detroit Border Patrol Station, Miranda admitted to his gang affiliation. In addition, record checks revealed that he had been convicted of a felony for Controlled Substance Delivery/Manufacture after an arrest by the Dearborn Heights Police Department in 2016. Subsequent to this conviction he was removed to Mexico as an aggravated felon.

“This arrest takes a dangerous individual off the streets of Detroit,” said Chief Patrol Agent Douglas Harrison. “Every time we remove a criminal alien from the country, we are making our communities safer.”

Border Patrol has submitted the case to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Detroit, Michigan, for prosecution of 8 USC 1326 Unlawful Reentry after Removal of an Aggravated Felon.

Anyone with information on suspicious activity is asked to call the Detroit Sector Border Patrol BorderWatch telephone number at 800-537-3220.

Last Modified: Feb 03, 2021