OPERATION TAKE BACK AMERICA: Convicted Felon Sentenced to 16 Months in Prison for Illegally Re-entering the United States

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - An illegal alien has been sentenced for unlawfully re-entering the United States after deportation, announced U.S. Attorney Phillip W. Williams Jr.

Chief U.S. District Judge Madeline H. Haikala sentenced Walter Anselmo Rosa-Menjivar, 29, a citizen of Honduras, to 16 months in prison. In January 2026, Rosa-Menjivar pleaded guilty to illegal re-entry after deportation.

"This sentence demonstrates that individuals who unlawfully reenter the Unites States will be held accountable," said U.S. Attorney Phil Williams. "My office remains committed to prosecuting offenders who threaten public safety and to working alongside our law enforcement partners to keep our communities safe."

"Rosa-Menjivar's history of drug trafficking and unlawful reentry underscores the importance of strong border enforcement and community safety partnerships," said Steven N. Schrank, the Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama. "HSI will not tolerate those who endanger the public and violate our immigration laws-serious consequences await anyone who attempts to do so."

According to court documents, Rosa-Menjivar was deported on March 9, 2020, after he was convicted of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine in the United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina. Rosa-Menjivar came to law enforcement's attention again when officers with the Bessemer Police Department were dispatched to Rosa-Menjivar's residence on October 24, 2025, after his roommate called 911. The roommate reported that Rosa-Menjivar threatened to shoot him during a verbal argument. After having been found illegally in the United States a second time, Rosa-Menjivar was arrested on October 25, 2025.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case along with the Bessemer Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brittney L. Plyler and J. Patrick Lamb are prosecuting the case.