Undocumented El Salvador migrants arrested in sting: Police posed as teen girls online; flagged for deportation

Three men from El Salvador, currently in the US without legal status, were arrested in Houston, Texas, after being caught in a police sting targeting online predators.

Officers from the Houston police department posed as teenage girls on the dating app Jaumo. Over the last ten days, they arrested Abner Ruiz, 37, Erick Menjivar, 30, and Carlos Gomez, 33, on charges of online solicitation of a minor. All three are now in custody at Harris County Jail with immigration detainers placed against them.

Court records say two of the men believed they were meeting a 14-year-old girl, while the third thought he was talking to a 16-year-old. Police confirmed the sting operation did not specifically focus on undocumented immigrants.

Carlos Gomez had previously been deported to El Salvador in 2020 after entering the US illegally in 2012, ICE told Fox 26. At some point, he re-entered the country without being detected. He was arrested on 17 July during the sting, after fleeing the meeting spot, running stop signs, crashing into a gate, and injuring a pedestrian. He also faces charges for failing to stop and provide help.

Abner Ruiz was also caught in the July 17 operation. ICE could not confirm when he entered the country. This arrest is his first recorded interaction with US law enforcement.

Erick Menjivar crossed into the US near San Ysidro, California, in 2018. He was detained and released three days later. His immigration case was dismissed in 2024 under prosecutorial discretion. He was arrested on 18 July.

Jaumo, the dating app used in the sting, allows users to message others nearby without requiring a match. The platform prohibits users under 18.