A Honduran national has been arrested and charged with sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl in Cobb County, Georgia, as immigration officials urge local authorities to notify them before any potential release of the suspect.
Juan Carlos Salvador-Diaz, 29, faces two counts of aggravated sexual battery against the child for incidents allegedly occurring at a Marietta apartment complex on August 1, 2025, and December 1, 2023. Authorities arrested Salvador-Diaz on January 30, 2026.
The day following his arrest, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) lodged a detainer with the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office. The federal agency is urging local authorities “not to release Salvador Diaz from its jail without first notifying the federal immigration agency.”
Immigration Status Complicates Case
According to Department of Homeland Security records, Salvador-Diaz entered the United States illegally in 2019. He’s currently being held without bond as the case proceeds through the judicial system. The DHS confirmed his unauthorized entry seven years ago.
Why is ICE particularly concerned about this case? The answer lies in recent policy changes at the county level.
In January 2021, Sheriff Craig Owens terminated Cobb County’s participation in ICE’s 287(g) Program — a partnership that had previously allowed local law enforcement to identify and process immigration violators while they were already in correctional facilities. The decision to end this cooperation has created tension between federal immigration authorities and local law enforcement.
The case highlights the ongoing national debate over immigration enforcement policies and local-federal cooperation. For now, Salvador-Diaz remains in custody as both the criminal charges and immigration issues proceed through their respective systems.
