An illegal alien with an outstanding warrant was apprehended by federal authorities after a standoff lasting more than six hours this week in Texas, according to reports.
The incident unfolded just after 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday in San Antonio.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) attempted to arrest a 29-year-old Guatemalan illegal during a traffic stop when the man fled on foot and climbed up a tree in a residential neighborhood.
The suspect, who reportedly goes by both Raúl Ical and Raymundo Caal-Caal, was deported in 2013 after illegally entering the U.S., but illegally returned at a later date, News 4 San Antonio reports.
In 2024, he was reportedly arrested for drunk driving but released on bail.
The Guatemalan remained in the tree for hours as activists and local residents of the “historically Latino neighborhood” shouted support and encouraged him to defy law enforcement, EFE reports.
“Don’t get off, you have rights,” one man repeatedly shouted up to the Guatemalan, who told the crowd he was a construction worker.
Members of the crowd menaced and harassed independent journalist Hernando Arce, who was live-streaming the bust to an audience of thousands of viewers.
Negotiators eventually convinced the Guatemalan to come down and he was taken into custody after more than six hours.
An illegal alien spent 8+ hours hiding in a tree to avoid being arrested by ICE. 29-year-old Guatemalan national Raymundo Caal was arrested after a long stand-off on the West side of San Antonio. Local residents were shouting, "Don't come down, you have rights!" and harassed… https://t.co/dF0TmY2arb
— Wid Lyman (@Wid_Lyman) May 1, 2025
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem weighed in following the arrest, stating, “You can run, but you can’t hide. Whether in a tree or harbored in an activist judge’s house, if you are here illegally, ICE will find you, arrest you, and you will be deported.”
More than 150,000 illegal aliens have been apprehended in the U.S. since President Trump took office, many of whom have serious criminal histories.