Criminal Illegal Alien from Mexico Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Violently Assaulting ICE Officer in Kansas

 

Secretary Noem has been clear: if you lay a hand on law enforcement, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced Diego Barron-Esquivel, a criminal illegal alien from Mexico, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for violently assaulting and strangling an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer in February in Wichita, Kansas.

Diego Barron-Esquivel

On February 28, 2025, two ICE officers were conducting a targeted enforcement operation to arrest Barron-Esquivel, a violent criminal illegal alien who had been consistently harassing his former spouse. His extensive, violent criminal history includes arrests for multiple counts of domestic battery, multiple counts of violation of protection order, criminal damage to property, aggravated robbery, felony theft, transporting an open container, criminal restraint, possession of drug paraphernalia, and improper use of an automobile.

Barron-Esquivel resisted arrest. He violently punched one of the officers in the face and head, escalating to strangling the officer with his own badge cord. The officer almost passed out before he successfully broke the badge cord. Barron-Esquivel fled arrest but was later successfully apprehended by local law enforcement.

“This barbaric criminal illegal alien, with a rap sheet a mile long, violently punched one our officers in the face and head and then began strangling the officer with his own badge cord. Our officers are facing a 1150% increase in violence against them as they arrest the worst of the worst,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “He now faces 20 years in federal prison. Secretary Noem has been clear: if you lay a hand on law enforcement, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” 

Barron-Esquivel pleaded guilty to one count of forcible assault of a federal officer on December 3, 2025, and was sentenced to 20 years in prison, the maximum penalty allowed under the statute.

Barron-Esquivel entered the country at unknown date and location.