Rochester (trfnews.i234.me) — A federal “worst of the worst” list
tied to Rochester is raising new questions about how serious offenders move through
the immigration system.
The list on a U.S. Department of Homeland Security website names 18 people linked to
Rochester. Most were held at the Federal Medical Center or other federal prisons,
not for crimes committed in Olmsted County.
Cartel Hit Man Case Highlights Federal Link
One name on the list is Cesar Contreras-Orosco. Authorities in Mexico accuse him
of working as a drug cartel hit man and tying him to two killings in Chihuahua.
Contreras-Orosco ended up in federal custody at the Federal Medical Center in
Rochester. His case is an example of how high-profile offenders from outside
Minnesota moves through the system here.
At least five people on the DHS list were serving time at the medical center when
They were taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or
ICE.
Only one of the 18 people, Admir Vele, has been charged with crimes in Olmsted
County. Court records show Vele stole items from a Rochester gun shop during the
summer of 2024. He also has local convictions for driving while intoxicated and
driving while canceled. ICE now holds him at the Freeborn County Adult Detention
Center.
Another man, Francisco Pena-Gutierrez, was convicted on a drug charge in federal
court in St. Paul. He no longer appears in the federal Bureau of Prisons system
and is not listed in ICE custody.
Many Cases Start in Other States
Most people on the “worst” list were arrested, tried, and first locked up outside
Minnesota. About half were charged and convicted in Texas federal courts, records
show.
Requests for more detail from DHS and the Federal Medical Center were not
returned.
Many names on the list no longer appear in either the federal prison system or
ICE’s online detainee locator. That suggests they moved directly from the
Bureau of Prisons to another federal agency.
Advocates Fear Gaps in Due Process
Immigration law advocates say that kind of quiet transfer can raise serious
due-process concerns.
“Anytime anybody is being moved from any type of system to another … there’s going
to be questions and concerns about whether proper processes are being followed,”
said Julia Decker, policy director at the
Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota in St. Paul.
She said people who go straight from federal prison to another agency might not
See a lawyer or get a hearing to challenge deportation.
Decker said her group’s removal defense team already struggles with cases where
immigration court charges are dropped, but ICE still takes the person into
custody. Her office has also seen major changes since the federal government
scaled back temporary protected status for some immigrants from Central America,
Asia, and Somalia.
As a result, the center has shifted more time toward direct removal defense and
humanitarian claims instead of simple status renewals.
List Details Are Limited and Sometimes Confusing
The DHS “worst” list offers few details beyond basic names and broad offense
labels. It often lacks case numbers or dates of birth.
In some cases, the charges listed on the website do not match the crimes that led
to federal prison sentences.
Eight men on the list were convicted only of illegal reentry to the United States,
according to federal records. On the DHS site, however, their entries include
other alleged offenses.
Decker said it is possible those people faced different charges in lower courts.
She also believes some language on the list may overstate the facts.
“I take everything coming from the federal government right now with a grain of
salt,” she said. “Websites like this often leave out nuance and only highlight
select information.”
For people trying to understand who is being held, and why, that lack of detail
can make an already complex system even harder to follow.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.
