A citizen of Mexico who authorities say has been in the U.S. illegally since 2019 is facing federal criminal charges after the U.S. Department of Homeland Security learned he was arrested for drunk driving following a crash June 3 at Honolii Beach Park.
Jose Luis Gonzalez Cruz, aka “Jose Gonzalez, ” is scheduled for a waiver of indictment and guilty plea Aug. 7 before Chief U.S. District Judge Derrick K. Watson. He is facing a single charge of illegally reentering the country after being removed.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Department of Justice are partnering on President Donald Trump’s efforts to pull off the largest mass deportation in U.S. history of people allegedly in the country illegally.
Federal agents have arrested in Hawaii so far this year for alleged violations of immigration law.
Gonzalez Cruz “came to the attention of of DHS’ Homeland Security Investigations because of a June 2025 arrest by the Hawaii Police Department for allegedly operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant, driving without a license, and operating without insurance, ” according to court records.
On June 22, 2019, Gonzalez Cruz, “a Mexican citizen and never a U.S. citizen, ” was served with an Expedited Order of Removal, and he was deported to Mexico from Nogales, Ariz., according to federal court documents.
Three years later, on Aug. 31, 2022, Gonzalez Cruz was arrested by Hawaii police officers for consuming or possessing intoxicating liquor while operating a motor vehicle and operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant.
Gonzalez Cruz had his driver’s license suspended and revoked for two years. On May 13, 2023, he was arrested again and charged with contempt of court for missing a court date, but the charge was later dismissed, according to state court records.
On June 3, witnesses told Hawaii police officers that Gonzalez Cruz drove a car into an unoccupied vehicle at Honolii Beach Park.
“Witnesses ensured Gonzalez Cruz remained until police arrived. Police arrived to smell Gonzalez Cruz with a strong odor of alcohol and observed his red and watery eyes, ” according to a June 16 criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court.
He showed signs of “impairment after performing field sobriety tests, ” and his blood alcohol level was 0.149, over the.08 legal limit.
That same day, a “Form 1-200 Warrant for Arrest of Alien ” was issued for Gonzalez Cruz, and on June 4 an immigration detainer was lodged with Hawaii police.
A review of a series of documents from his Alien Registration File showed law enforcement that he was deported from the United States to Mexico on June 22, 2019, at Nogales, Ariz.
He did not have permission to come back to the U.S., according to federal court records.
Homeland Security Investigations agents, with the help of a Spanish speaker, conducted a recorded interview with Gonzalez Cruz. He allegedly told agents he was “previously removed from the United States approximately six years ago ” and confirmed his signature on documents in his Alien Registration File.
Gonzalez Cruz allegedly told agents that his “most recent entry into the United States was-approximately ten days after he was removed on June 22, 2019.”
