An Alexandria woman is accused of misrepresenting herself as working for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, authorities said. Isabel Pajuelo was charged with falsely assuming to be an officer or employee of the United States. Records show that probable cause was found at Pajuelo’s preliminary hearing in federal court in Alexandria.
“Instances of someone impersonating a federal ICE official are not common, but they do happen,” David D’Amato, special agent in charge of the regional ICE Office of Professional Responsibility, said.
Pajuelo’s public defender, W. Todd Watson, had no comment about the case.
In an affidavit supporting the criminal complaint and arrest warrant, ICE special agent Michele Dowling stated that Pajuelo told an illegal U.S. resident she was a student attorney working “for Immigration” who could get him a green card.
The illegal resident told Dowling that at a meeting with Pajuelo in or around March 2011, Pajuelo was wearing an “ICE uniform” that included blue pants, a blue shirt with “ICE” written on the back, a badge and a gun holster.
The illegal resident ultimately paid Pajuelo more than $2,000, Dowling stated. Some of the money was to go for a “pardon” Pajuelo said he needed, and Pajuelo promised the man that his documents would arrive in late April or May 2011, Dowling stated.
Pajuelo also gave the man her business card that included the Homeland Security Department seal, the notation “U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services,” Pajuelo’s name with the title “Qualified Student” and what Pajuelo called her Immigration identification number, Dowling stated. The illegal resident was told to give this card to an officer if he was ever picked up, and the officer could then contact Pajuelo who could prevent him from being detained or deported.
In or around August 2011, the illegal resident tried to contact Pajuelo. After he asked others how to find her, Pajuelo called him, threatened to call police if he continued bothering her and hung up when he asked for his green card, Dowling stated.
This circumstance wasn’t the only time Pajuelo pretended to work for the government. Another person told Dowling that she also paid Pajuelo thousands of dollars to process immigration applications for herself and her family members, Dowling stated.
Two others told the ICE special agent that they saw Pajuelo wearing an “ICE uniform” — including a utility belt with a gun and handcuffs ?– on about five separate occasions, Dowling said. The observers were told by other people that Pajuelo was helping them to have their “immigration papers fixed.”
