Peruvian man self-deported, then wrongly linked to ICE officer assault in New Jersey
Jun 18, 2026 · Manahawkin, NJ, Peru

Friedrich Castillo-Ormeno self-deported to Peru in March 2026 after receiving a final deportation order and was approved for CBP Home incentive payments ($2,600) in April verifying his departure. In June 2026, ICE mistakenly identified him as a suspect in a violent incident in Stafford Township, New Jersey, where an officer was struck by a vehicle during an enforcement operation on Route 72. Federal prosecutors later charged a different man, Eduardo Cruz Garcia, with the assault. Castillo-Ormeno expressed concern that the misidentification could harm his reputation and affect his ability to legally return to the United States, as well as his U.S.-born daughter's documentation.
Timeline
Sources
More incidents in New Jersey
- Two Raymond's restaurant workers detained by ICE in Montclair, NJAug 20, 2026 · Montclair, NJ
- Delaney Hall detainees seek crime-victim visas after alleged abuse during protestsAug 20, 2026 · Newark, NJ
- Two restaurant workers detained by ICE while walking to work in MontclairAug 19, 2026 · Montclair, NJ
- Colombian bridal shop owner and mother detained by ICE in New JerseyAug 19, 2026 · Teaneck, NJ
- Man detained by ICE agents after visiting Newark church food pantryAug 18, 2026 · Newark, NJ
- Masked ICE agents detain man on Union City street cornerAug 17, 2026 · Union City, NJ