(MIAMI, FLORIDA) Authorities arrested Alvi Limani and his mother, Vneshta, at Miami International Airport on July 17, 2025, as they tried to fly to Tirana, Albania, days after a deadly street racing crash on New Jersey’s Garden State Parkway. The Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office coordinated with the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to stop the pair before departure.
Current status: both are held at the Middlesex County Department of Corrections as non-citizens as of August 15, 2025, and face multiple state charges tied to the crash and the alleged escape plan.
Arrest and alleged escape plan
Investigators say the mother and son purchased Florida IDs, same-day passports, and plane tickets to Albania. Video recorded their arrest on the airport tarmac, underscoring the speed with which officers moved once travel plans were identified.
Officials have not released the exact date of the crash in available 2025 updates, but the arrests followed within days.
Crash details and charged parties
According to information described by prosecutors, two BMWs were racing at about 112 mph in a 55 mph zone on the Garden State Parkway when Limani’s car struck two other vehicles and rolled several times.
- Two occupants were ejected, including a man identified as Hysenaj and a 20-year-old.
- After the rollover, authorities say Limani and his girlfriend, Emily Harrington, 19, of Staten Island, fled the scene on foot.
- Emily Harrington now faces charges that include hindering, obstruction, and conspiracy to endanger another person.
- A second driver, Jeter Ogando, 23, of Perth Amboy, is charged with second-degree vehicular homicide, endangering another person, and assault by auto.
Key details confirmed by officials:
- Date of arrest: July 17, 2025
- Location: Near Miami International Airport, Florida
- Attempted destination: Tirana, Albania
Immigration and legal stakes
Because both defendants are listed as non-citizens, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is engaged alongside state prosecutors. In cases like this—where defendants are accused of a fatal offense and an attempted international flight—ICE often screens for immigration violations and may place detainers that keep non-citizens in custody even if a state judge sets bail.
According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, serious criminal charges can later trigger removal proceedings if there is a conviction, typically after any state sentence is served.
Officials also flagged the alleged use of fraudulent identification and same-day passports, a factor that can bring added criminal exposure and complicate any future immigration relief. While state charges will move first, immigration consequences may follow on a separate track.
For official information about federal arrest and detention authorities, ICE provides resources on its site at https://www.ice.gov.
How the two systems affect victims and defendants
Families of the crash victims will watch two systems move at once:
- The state criminal process—focused on responsibility for the death and injuries.
- Any later immigration steps tied to the non-citizen status of the defendants.
Prosecutors say they are prioritizing the criminal case, which can take time due to evidence collection, expert crash reconstruction, and the number of defendants.
Typical stages ahead in a case of this kind
- Arrest and booking: Defendants are processed and held pending formal charges.
- First court appearance: Charges are read; a judge addresses detention.
- Detention review: Non-citizens may face immigration holds while state detention is decided.
- Grand jury/indictment: Prosecutors seek formal felony charges.
- Pre-trial motions: The court considers evidence issues and disputes about documents or statements.
- Trial or plea: The case proceeds to verdict unless a plea resolves it.
- Sentencing: If convicted, the judge applies state guidelines, with possible increases for aggravating factors such as fleeing.
- Post-sentence immigration actions: If applicable, removal proceedings can begin after the criminal sentence.
Defense counsel often argue for separate consideration of immigration status at detention hearings, while prosecutors point to flight risk—especially where an airport arrest and overseas tickets are in the record. Judges weigh those facts against any ties the defendants can show to the community.
Important: Immigration detainers can keep non-citizens in custody even if state bail is set. Claims of flight and use of fraudulent documents are central to detention decisions.
Policy context and public safety push
The arrests come amid a broader clampdown on illegal street racing:
- At the federal level, H.R. 3462 was introduced in May 2025 to create a task force focused on street racing, reflecting national concern and the need for cross-border coordination.
- New Jersey launched the Target Zero Commission in January 2025 with the goal of eliminating traffic deaths by 2040, stressing stricter enforcement and data-driven safety planning.
- Advocacy groups such as Families for Safe Streets NJ and Bike Hoboken have pressed for stronger measures to prevent high-speed crashes and hold drivers accountable.
- NJ S439 (2024–2025) increases fines and jail time for unlicensed drivers, particularly when crashes cause injury.
Local police and prosecutors have formed special units to handle street takeovers and drag racing. Many agencies now rely on:
- Video evidence
- License plate readers
- Impound powers
- Interagency teams linking county prosecutors, DHS, and ICE
The interagency response in the Limani arrest—coordinating county prosecutors, DHS, and ICE—reflects how quickly out-of-state travel plans can draw federal attention.
Impact on immigrant communities
Cases like this highlight two realities for immigrant communities:
- Most traffic cases stay in state court and do not involve immigration agencies.
- When a crash results in death and there are signs of flight or fraud, federal partners often join, making immigration status a central factor in detention and future relief options.
Community groups that support new Americans often advise families to seek both criminal defense and immigration counsel early—especially where travel documents or IDs may be part of the evidence.
Public safety message and enforcement
For the wider public, officials emphasize that high-speed racing on public roads invites severe outcomes. Legal exposure grows when drivers run from a crash scene or try to leave the country.
In New Jersey and beyond, police say they will continue:
- Targeted patrols
- Impoundment
- Special operations to deter dangerous events that put bystanders at risk
Ongoing investigation and next steps
The Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office continues to lead the investigation. More details on the sequence of events, toxicology results, and any digital evidence from the vehicles are expected in court filings as the matter advances.
Until then, the timeline points to a fast-moving response: a fatal crash, a brief window of mobility, and an arrest at the airport gate with tickets in hand. Prosecutors say that timeline will be central to their argument that flight risk is real here—both for the criminal charges and for any immigration holds that may follow.
This Article in a Nutshell
Airport arrest halted an alleged escape after a deadly Garden State Parkway crash. Officials cite 112 mph racing, fraudulent IDs and same-day passports. Middlesex prosecutors coordinate with DHS and ICE. Both non-citizen defendants remain detained, confronting state homicide and obstruction charges while immigration consequences may proceed separately.
