Arizona: 306 Charged in One Week With Immigration Crimes, and What It Means for You

Crossing the border without permission is not only an administrative matter: in Arizona it is being prosecuted as a federal crime, week after week, and the numbers keep climbing.

At Campos Law Firm, we closely monitor developments in U.S. immigration policy to protect our clients’ rights and future. Here is what is known, what is not, and what you can do.

What did Arizona federal prosecutors report?

On September 11, 2026, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona announced that in operations between September 5 and 11 it charged 306 people with immigration-related criminal conduct.

The official breakdown:

• 145 cases of illegal reentry after a prior removal.
• 137 cases of illegal entry.
• 20 cases against 24 people for alleged migrant smuggling.

That total is up from the 265 people charged the previous week, which we also covered. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and other federal agencies took part.

A reminder the office itself includes, and one worth repeating: a charge is not a conviction. Everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Illegal entry and illegal reentry are not the same offense

People use the terms interchangeably, but in the statute they are very different, and the difference changes a person’s life.

• Illegal entry (8 U.S.C. § 1325): entering outside a port of entry or eluding inspection. A first offense is a misdemeanor, up to 6 months in jail. A repeat offense can reach 2 years.
• Illegal reentry (8 U.S.C. § 1326): coming back after being removed, without advance permission. It is a felony, up to 2 years at baseline and up to 10 or 20 years where there were serious prior convictions.
• Migrant smuggling (8 U.S.C. § 1324): transporting, moving or harboring someone knowing they are here without authorization. Up to 5 years, rising to 10 where there was financial gain.

That reentry is the largest category — 145 of 306 — confirms something we say in every case: an old removal order does not expire. It keeps producing criminal consequences years later.

And the deportation case — is it the same case?

No, and confusing the two is the costliest mistake we see.

• The criminal case goes before a federal district court, with the right to a government-paid attorney if you cannot afford one, and it can end in prison.
• Removal proceedings are civil, run separately before the Immigration Court (EOIR) or through reinstatement of a prior order, and there is no appointed counsel there.

Someone can serve a criminal sentence and still face removal afterward. That is why a defense lawyer and an immigration attorney should talk to each other before any plea is accepted: a plea that looks convenient in the criminal case can close immigration doors for years.

What can you do now?

• Find out what is in your record before starting any filing: a FOIA request to USCIS on Form G-639, and one to ICE, can show whether a prior removal order exists and whether it was executed.
• If you are detained, stay silent and ask for a lawyer: you have the right not to answer questions about how and when you entered. What you say can become the centerpiece of the criminal charge.
• Do not sign voluntary departure or any document without advice: signing can eliminate options you still had.
• Prepare a written family plan: a power of attorney for your children, copies of documents with a trusted relative, and your attorney’s number memorized, not only saved in your phone.
• Be wary of notarios and “consultants”: in several Latin American countries a notary is a lawyer; in the United States a notary is not, and cannot represent you.

Protect Your Immigration Status with Campos Law Firm

Behind a weekly number are 306 families who went from a traffic stop to a federal courtroom in a matter of days. The difference between a case handled well and one that is lost is almost always decided in the first 48 hours.

At Campos Law Firm we coordinate criminal defense with immigration strategy so one does not destroy the other, and we review your history before recommending anything. We do not make unrealistic promises. We provide serious legal representation backed by preparation and integrity.

Do not leave your immigration status to chance. Call us today at +1 (844) 922-6767 to schedule a free, confidential consultation in English or Spanish. Campos Law Firm: Legal Solutions in All Areas of Law.