A Guatemalan man living in Stamford is accused of illegally reentering the United States after multiple deportations and making false statements on applications for immigration benefits.
Marcos Ismalej Ixpancoc, also known as Marcos Hernandez Lopez and Jose Ernandez, 39, a citizen of Guatemala, was arrested on Friday and charged by federal criminal complaint, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Officer for the District of Connecticut.
Ixpancoc appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Dave Vatti in Bridgeport on Friday and was ordered detained.
Court records show that, in October 2006, Ixpancoc was apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol in Arizona. “He identified himself to U.S. Border Patrol as Marcos Hernandez Lopez, claimed to be a citizen of Mexico, and was issued a voluntary return to Mexico,” according to court records.
Ixpancoc was apprehended again in August 2012 by U.S. Border Patrol in Texas. He allegedly claimed to be Jose Ernandez and allegedly said he was a citizen of Guatemala. He was deported to Guatemala in September 2012.
In June 2023, Ixpancoc submitted an U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services application for legal permanent residency and work authorization to under his true name and listed an address in Stamford. “The fingerprints that USCIS collected in connection with those applications matched those collected when he was apprehended and removed under the names Marcos Hernandez Lopez and Jose Ernandez in 2006 and 2012,” federal officials allege.
Federal officials also allege that in Ixpancoc’s applications to USCIS, he “falsely denied ever using any names other than Ixpancoc, falsely denied ever having been issued a final order of removal and falsely denied ever having been removed from the U.S.”
In addition, Ixpancoc allegedly submitted a petition under the Violence Against Women Act claiming that he was the victim of abuse by a U.S. citizen spouse or child, and that his abuser was his son. “However, his son was 2 years old at the time he filed the petition,” federal officials allege. “Ixpancoc signed each of these applications under penalty of perjury.”
If convicted of unlawful reentry, Ixpancoc faces a maximum term of two years in prison. If convicted of making false statements on applications for immigration benefits, he faces a maximum of 10 years.