Charly Haley, chaley@dmreg.com
He had already been arrested on numerous other charges in connection with the crash.
The information released by Grassley’s office Thursday states Lopez Aguilar entered the U.S. July 3, 2005, when he was 7, “at an unknown place, without having been admitted or paroled by an immigration officer.”
On Oct. 8, 2013, Lopez Aguilar sought a temporary exemption from deportation under a policy known as DACA from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office, according to the report. On June 5, 2014, that deferred action was approved, valid until June 4, 2016.
“Lopez Aguilar apparently received deferred deportation protection under the Obama Administration’s executive action on immigration. However, he has since fallen out of status with the program and remains in the country illegally,” Grassley’s office said in a news release accompanying his letter Tuesday.
The report released Thursday also confirms Lopez Aguilar’s two interactions with law enforcement in Iowa.
According to court records, Lopez Aguilar’s only other criminal offense in Iowa appears to be a citation for possession of drug paraphernalia June 30 in Perry. Police did not take Lopez Aguilar into custody as a result of that citation. He made an appearance in court related to the case, which is pending.
Lopez Aguilar’s immigration status was not questioned in that case, according to the report.
On Sept. 8, Lopez Aguilar was arrested following the crash at Southeast Sixth and Bell Avenue. On Sept. 9, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement placed an immigration hold, also called a detainer, on Lopez Aguilar, an ICE spokesman said Wednesday.
Polk County Sheriff’s Sgt. Brandon Bracelin, a spokesman for the Polk County Jail, said Tuesday night that the jail will notify ICE if Lopez Aguilar is able to post bail. He is in custody at the Polk County Jail on a $560,000 cash bond, according to jail records.
Lopez Aguilar faces criminal charges of homicide by reckless driving, two counts of serious injury by reckless driving, child endangerment, operating without a driver’s license, and having no insurance.
A spokesman for Grassley’s office said in an email Thursday that officials are still expecting more information on Lopez Aguilar’s immigration history to be released by the Department of Homeland Security.
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/crime-and-courts/2016/09/15/part-lopez-aguilar-immigration-history-released/90436320/