A Mexican national with a lengthy history of unlawful entries and repeated removals appeared in federal court Tuesday, pleading not guilty to a felony illegal reentry charge and waiving his right to a detention hearing.
Edgar Mandujano-Aguilar entered the plea before U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen Wolf in Portland. By waiving a hearing of detention, he will remain in custody while the case proceeds. His next court appearance is scheduled for January 5, 2026.
Mandujano-Aguilar was arrested on Nov. 6 after he contacted the Oxford County Sheriff’s Office from a job site and asked deputies for assistance returning to Mexico following a dispute with his employer.
Deputies transported him to the sheriff’s office, where he provided a Mexican voter identification card and acknowledged he had no legal immigration status, according to a Border Patrol affidavit. Agents said he resisted arrest before being taken to the Rangeley Border Patrol Station for processing.
According to the affidavit, Mandujano-Aguilar’s immigration history spans more than two decades and includes several unlawful entries across the southern border.
He first entered the United States illegally near Naco, Arizona on May 8, 2004, and was returned to Mexico voluntarily. He again crossed illegally near Lukeville, Arizona on October 8, 2006, and was voluntarily returned a second time.
Federal records show he was formally removed from the United States on December 29, 2010, following a removal order issued eight days earlier. That removal stemmed from a charge of unlawful entry under 8 U.S.C. § 1325, for which he served a 10-day sentence before being deported to Mexico.
Border Patrol said Mandujano-Aguilar continued to reenter the country after that removal, leading to further enforcement actions:
- February 26, 2011, was removed from Brownsville, Texas, following a reinstatement of the original removal order.
- October 12, 2011, was removed from Del Rio, Texas, again under a reinstated order.
- June 9, 2016, was removed from Hidalgo, Texas, after another reinstatement.
- July 21, 2020, was removed from Laredo, Texas, following a final order dated July 14, 2020.
Border Patrol records cited in the affidavit state that there is no evidence Mandujano-Aguilar ever applied for or received permission from the U.S. Attorney General to lawfully reenter the country after these removals.
Mandujano-Aguilar is charged with illegal reentry after deportation under 8 U.S.C. § 1326(a), a felony offense for noncitizens who return to the United States without authorization following a formal removal.
Judge Wolf has not yet issued further rulings on the case beyond accepting the plea and waiver. Mandujano-Aguilar will return to court in early January as the prosecution continues.
