Mexican citizen living in Hawaii deported before federal trial | Honolulu Star-Advertiser Sunday, May 10, 2026 74° Today's Paper Hawaii News Mexican citizen living in Hawaii deported before federal trial By Peter Boylan May 2, 2026 Share on Facebook Share on X Share by email --> Select an option below to continue reading this premium story. Already a Honolulu Star-Advertiser subscriber? Log in now to continue reading. Get unlimited access From as low as $12.95 /mo. Subscribe Now The attorney representing a 29-year-old man from Mexico arrested in June for immigration law violations and fraud wants the criminal case permanently dismissed because the defendant was deported with no notice before his trial. Jose Juarez Ramos, who is also known as Jose Ramos Mendez, is one of two roommates from a Fern Street apartment facing federal charges after allegedly entering the U.S. from Mexico as tourists and buying fake passports, Social Security cards and other documents so they could live and work in the U.S. illegally. Juarez Ramos and Raul Arambula Ramirez, 48, who is also known as Alexander Rodriguez, were charged with fraud and misuse of visas, permits and other documents after Homeland Security Investigations agents searched their Fern Street apartment in the McCully area June 13. After charging Juarez Ramos for possession of false ID and Social Security cards, the U.S. Department of Justice “abandoned its criminal prosecution by deporting him, without notice, once he was released on bond,” according to a March 20 written filing by Juarez Ramos’ current attorney, Assistant Federal Public Defender Melinda K. Yamaga. On June 25, Juarez Ramos was released on an unsecured $50,000 bond. The following day he was indicted on one count of fraud and misuse of visas, permits and other documents related to counterfeit permanent resident and Social Security cards. His arraignment was set for June 27 but never took place because federal prosecutors asked the court to vacate the scheduled hearing. Don't miss out on what's happening! Stay in touch with breaking news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It's FREE! Email Sign Up By clicking to sign up, you agree to Star-Advertiser's and Google's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . This form is protected by reCAPTCHA. After Juarez Ramos was released on bond, he was transferred from U.S. Marshals Service custody to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement pursuant to an immigration detainer. Juarez Ramos and his attorney at the time were not notified he was going to be deported after he was indicted, according to the Yamaga’s motion to dismiss. “In doing so, the government not only violated the Court’s release order and Juarez Ramos’s right to
pretrial release but violated his Fifth and Sixth Amendment rights,” she wrote. “In addition, the government circumvented this Court’s ability to try Juarez Ramos and wasted the Court’s and defense counsel’s time and resources, thereby undermining the integrity of the judicial process.” Because the government’s conduct “caused irreparable and ongoing prejudice” to Juarez Ramos, Yamaga argued the case should be dismissed with prejudice, meaning the charges could not be refiled at a later date. Yamaga noted that Juarez Ramos’ attorney tried to meet with him at the Federal Detention Center in Honolulu on two occasions, not knowing he had been deported. During the week of July 14, detention center staff told the attorney who arrived to meet with him that Juarez Ramos was “unavailable because he was at immigration court.” At a second attempted visit the week of July 28, the staff told the attorney he was no longer listed as an inmate there. Federal prosecutors don’t disagree the case should be dismissed but do not believe it should be dismissed with prejudice, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Nammar in his April 10 response. Nammar pointed out that Juarez Ramos’ attorney knew he would likely be deported because he was initially in immigration custody following an administrative arrest when the attorney discussed the criminal complaint with Juarez Ramos. The attorney also got an email that an immigration detainer was filed and it was noted in a pre-trial services report. Nammar wrote that the report made clear that should Juarez Ramos be released, he would be taken into immigration custody to begin removal proceedings, and that in the event removal proceedings finish before the criminal case, Juarez Ramos would be deported and the criminal case would remain pending. The prosecutor also claimed the defendant “failed to show he will actually be prejudiced” by a dismissal without prejudice. Juarez Ramos “confessed to the crime,” he said, and his attorneys had ample time to prepare for the trial after discovery was turned over July 7. “In any event, the case will now be dismissed, so there will be no trial. And while (Juarez Ramos) argues that he could be charged with additional crimes in the future if he were to enter the country illegally, such a scenario would only occur if (he) decided to engage in criminal behavior in the
future,” Nammar wrote. “Any consequence that may come from (Juarez Ramos) committing future criminal behavior is not attributable to any bad faith on the part of the government.” A hearing on Yamaga’s motion to dismiss the charges is scheduled for Thursday before U.S. District Judge Micah W.J. Smith. Juarez Ramos entered the U.S. Nov. 9, 2019, with authorization to remain as a tourist for a temporary period not to exceed May 8, 2020. However, he stayed past his allotted time. From November 2024 until he was arrested June 13, Juarez Ramos, who is a Mexican citizen, “obtained, accepted, received, and possessed” a counterfeit “green card” and counterfeit Social Security card, prosecutors said. He admitted to Homeland Security agents that he paid $150 in cash in Washington for the two fake cards, and allegedly told agents he knew he did not have a legitimate Social Security number assigned to him and that he was in the U.S. on a tourist visa and not permanent resident status. Juarez Ramos also said he did not know the numbers on the IDs belonged to real people.