You truly cannot make this stuff up.
A man facing child rape and sexual abuse charges in Marion County was released on bail in Oregon — and later arrested by federal agents at Portland International Airport while allegedly attempting to flee the United States using a fraudulent passport.
According to a February 13, 2026 release from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Manuel Cruz-Ramirez was apprehended at PDX on February 3 after presenting what officials describe as a fraudulent Mexican passport under a different name.
Federal authorities identified him through fingerprint verification after the passport failed to return complete data.
Here’s where the situation gets more serious.
Cruz-Ramirez had previously been arrested in 2025 in Marion County and is facing charges including rape in the first degree and purchasing sex with a minor. Those charges are allegations and have not yet resulted in conviction. Court proceedings remain ongoing.
Despite the severity of those accusations, he was released on bail into the community under Oregon’s criminal justice system.
Federal authorities have also charged Cruz-Ramirez with illegal re-entry after removal. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, he had previously been deported from the United States and is accused of unlawfully returning. Illegal re-entry after removal is a federal criminal offense.
So at the time federal agents say he attempted to leave the country, he was:
• Facing child rape and sexual abuse charges in Oregon
• Released on bail
• Charged federally with illegal re-entry after a prior deportation
Oregon is officially designated as a sanctuary state. Under Oregon Revised Statute 181A.820, first enacted in 1987, state and local law enforcement agencies are generally prohibited from using public resources to enforce federal immigration law unless there is a judicial warrant or specific legal authority.
In practical terms, that means local jails release individuals once state bail conditions are met unless there is a separate court order requiring continued detention.
Immigration detainers issued by Immigration and Customs Enforcement are typically considered requests rather than binding judicial warrants. Federal courts within the Ninth Circuit, which includes Oregon, have ruled that holding someone solely on the basis of an ICE detainer without a judge-signed warrant can create constitutional liability for unlawful detention.
Days after his release on bail, DHS says Cruz-Ramirez appeared at Portland International Airport attempting to board an outbound flight using fraudulent identification.
Federal agents intercepted him before departure.
The Marion County criminal case remains active. As with all defendants, Cruz-Ramirez is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court. The federal illegal re-entry charge will proceed separately in U.S. District Court.
The case has reignited debate in Oregon over bail decisions, sanctuary policy, and the coordination between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities — particularly when the underlying state charges involve alleged violent crimes against minors.
Whatever one’s position on immigration policy, the timeline itself is not disputed:
A man charged with child rape was released on bail in Oregon.
Federal authorities say he had previously been deported and unlawfully returned.
He was arrested at PDX while allegedly attempting to leave the country using false identification.
And that sequence of events is why this case is drawing statewide attention.
