ICE arrests three Guatemalan nationals for identity theft in Tennessee

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested three Guatemalan nationals in Tennessee during an investigation into identity theft and the fraudulent use of stolen Social Security numbers. The suspects, identified as Magdalena Gomez-Garcia, Elias Gomez-Garcia, and Eulalia Ordonez-Carmelo, were all under final orders of removal from the United States.

Magdalena Gomez-Garcia is accused of stealing the identity of a New York resident to secure employment in Tennessee. The victim discovered the fraud after wages were incorrectly attributed to her Social Security number. Gomez-Garcia had previously been issued a final order of removal in absentia in 2019.

Elias Gomez-Garcia has a history of prior arrests for traffic offenses and has been deported from the U.S. three times previously. Eulalia Ordonez-Carmelo was subject to a removal order issued in February 2023 following an illegal border crossing in 2022.

Scott Ladwig, acting Field Office Director for ICE New Orleans, stated that fraudulent documents and stolen identities cause lasting harm to victims, workers, and businesses.