Brayan Adiel Gramajo Reyes, a Guatemalan national residing in the United States without legal status, was arrested on February 28 following an investigation by ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents. The arrest is connected to illegal business practices uncovered during a recent human trafficking probe in Idaho.
A federal grand jury in Pocatello indicted Gramajo on several charges, including two counts of encouraging illegal entry of non-citizens into the United States. He also faces eight counts related to using false statements for employment verification, allegedly attesting that certain Social Security numbers were genuine and that employees were authorized to work in the country while knowing this information was false. Additionally, he is charged with one count of unlawful employment of non-citizens.
“Rescuing unaccompanied children who are tragically exploited and trafficked is a top HSI priority,” said HSI Seattle acting Special Agent in Charge April Miller. “Our investigation underscores HSI’s resolve to enforce our U.S. law and safeguard every child. Additionally, worksite enforcement is central to protecting our communities — targeting illegal employment networks, rescuing victims and stopping fraudulent business practices that harm real Americans.”
The investigation found that Gramajo convinced two unaccompanied minors from Guatemala to travel to the United States with promises of opportunity but then required them to perform long hours of physical labor after their arrival in Idaho.
HSI continues efforts to locate approximately 450,000 unaccompanied minors who entered the U.S. under the Biden administration. According to authorities, many of these children have been subjected to exploitation and abuse after being placed with sponsors who were not properly vetted, some of whom turned out to be smugglers or sex traffickers. During the Trump administration, more than 132,000 such children have reportedly been located.
Further details can be found at Justice.gov.
