ICE Lodges Arrest Detainer for Criminal Illegal Alien Who Killed Illinois, Cole County Board Member and His Wife

An extended magazine, ammunition, drugs, and an open container of alcohol were found inside the illegal alien's vehicle

WASHINGTON – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) today announced it lodged an arrest for a criminal illegal alien who while driving under the influence killed two Illinois residents, Michael Clayton a Coles County Board Member and his wife, Gail Clayton in a fatal car crash. Local authorities uncovered an extended magazine, ammunition, drugs, and an open container in the vehicle. 

Michael Clayton

Local authorities arrested the driver, Edwin Pacheco-Meza, a 34-year-old illegal alien from Honduras and the passenger in the car, Juan Morales-Martinez, a 18-year-old illegal alien from Guatemala. Edwin Pacheco-Meza is charged with reckless homicide and driving under the influence. Juan Morales-Martinez is charged with drug possession and a weapons offense. 

Edwin Pacheco-Meza

Following their arrests, ICE lodged a detainer with the Clark County Jail, which they ignored due to Illinois sanctuary policies. The jail did not cooperate with ICE due to sanctuary policies, and yet, despite this, our ICE officers waited for his release and arrested Morales-Martinez outside of the Clark County Jail on October 27.  

Juan Morales-Martinez

“Two innocents were killed because this criminal illegal alien chose to drive under the influence,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “President Trump and Secretary Noem have unleashed ICE and CBP in Illinois to restore law-and-order and remove criminal illegal aliens from our communities. Anyone who is in the U.S. illegally and thinks they can roam free while breaking our laws and harming Americans is in for a rude awakening. If you are in our country illegally and break our laws, we will find you, arrest you, remove you, and you will never return.”

Pacheco-Meza entered the country illegally at an unknown date and time. 

Morales-Martinez entered the U.S. illegally in December of 2023 and was RELEASED by the Biden administration into our country.

Sanctuary policies pose a direct, ongoing threat to American citizens by releasing criminal illegal aliens back into our communities. Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and ICE are restoring law and order to the United States and will not be stopped by activist politicians or sanctuary policies.