RECOGNIZING LEONARDO MENDOZA

RECOGNIZING LEONARDO MENDOZA

Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 35 (Friday, February 21, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 35 (Friday, February 21, 2025)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Pages E144-E145] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] RECOGNIZING LEONARDO MENDOZA ______ HON. BETH VAN DUYNE of texas in the house of representatives Friday, February 21, 2025 Ms. VAN DUYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Leonardo Mendoza, a distinguished law enforcement professional and United States Air Force veteran, for his decades of service to our community and our Nation. With over 23 years of dedicated service in immigration enforcement, operations leadership, and national security, Mr. Mendoza has been an integral part of protecting our country through U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Mr. Mendoza developed a foundation in discipline, leadership, and mission execution early on, serving six years in the United States Air Force before joining ICE. In his current role as a Detention and Deportation Officer, he leads the development and execution of national training programs at ICE's Enforcement [[Page E145]] and Removal Operations (ERO) Academy. Throughout his career, he spearheaded the creation of a nationally standardized On-the-Job Training Program enhancing field training effectiveness, designed and implemented a national Train-the-Trainer program aligned with strategic objectives of the Warrant Service Officer Program, and supervised the Criminal Alien Program (CAP) team increasing arrest efficiency and enforcement actions against high-priority targets. Additionally, he played an instrumental role in securing a search warrant in collaboration with an Assistant U.S. Attorney that led to the seizure of heroin and firearms from an aggravated felon. Mr. Mendoza's leadership played a crucial role in developing collaborations between Department of Homeland Security leadership, field operations, and private sector partners. His work has improved our national security and operational readiness within ICE. Beyond his technical and strategic contributions, Mr. Mendoza has served as a dedicated mentor, guiding the next generation of law enforcement professionals toward excellence. Leonardo Mendoza's long career has made our country safer and our law enforcement professionals stronger I thank Mr. Mendoza for his distinguished service to the United States, and congratulate him on his well-earned retirement. ____________________