ICE Announces Weekend Arrests of Murderers, Child Predators, and Drug Traffickers

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested illegal aliens with convictions for murder, child sexual assault, child abuse, and drug trafficking over the weekend, the Department of Homeland Security said Monday. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said officers took into custody “murderers, child sexual predators, and child abusers who should not have been in our country in the first place” while Americans were off work. “Under President Trump, ICE has been unleashed to target and remove illegal aliens from our communities so that we can Make America Safe Again. Arresting and deporting illegal aliens saves lives,” he said. DHS said there have been zero releases at the southwest border for 16 months.

The Monday release named 15 people. Sakhone Lasaphangthong, from Laos, was convicted of murder in Sacramento, California. Israel Espinosa-Trejo, from Mexico, was convicted of reckless homicide in Indianapolis. Ruben Ayala-Laies, from Cuba, was convicted of second-degree murder in Union County, Florida. Jose Alcaraz-Carranza, from Mexico, was convicted of lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14 in Tulare, California. Marvin Martinez, from the Dominican Republic, was convicted of sexual abuse of a minor and drug possession in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. Joel Velazco-Carrizosa, from Mexico, was convicted of second-degree sexual assault of a child in New Orleans. Ana Glenda Beatriz Melendez-Alvarado, from El Salvador, was convicted of child abuse with great bodily injury or death in Los Angeles.

Edgar Tranquilino Moran-Bautista, from Mexico, was convicted of sodomy by force in Madera, California. Melvin Alcon, from El Salvador, was convicted of two counts of assault and criminal possession of a weapon in Mineola, New York. Kimer Kintin, from the Federated States of Micronesia, was convicted of two counts of neglect of a dependent in Plymouth County, Iowa. Alfredo Castanos-Mendoza, from Mexico, was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin in Houston. Fray Paniagua, from the Dominican Republic, was convicted of delivery or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance in Bedford County, Pennsylvania. Greg Chukwuka Orji, from Nigeria, was convicted of dangerous-drugs charges and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl in Hutchinson, Kansas. Nelson Argueta-Cruz, from El Salvador, was convicted of burglary, grand larceny, and a probation violation in Fairfax, Virginia. Furvio Flete-Garcia, from the Dominican Republic, was convicted of fraud and illegal re-entry in Boston.

DHS posted a follow-on list Tuesday of five more arrests: Rogoberto Vasquez-Martin of Honduras, felony death by vehicle in Randolph County, North Carolina; Lazaro Rego-Otano of Cuba, sexual battery with a deadly weapon and aggravated battery in Miami; Ciro Valle-Robles of Mexico, rape and forgery in Goshen, New York; Bounmy Munvong of Laos, corporal injury on a spouse, drug possession, and theft in Fresno; and Jesus Milagros Roman-Meza of Mexico, drug possession and two theft counts in Gooding County, Idaho. Mullin said ICE is “removing the worst of the worst from American communities” and that illegal aliens are not welcome in the United States.

The announcements are part of a regular DHS “Worst of the Worst” series that lists named criminal convictions rather than a single numbered operation total. DHS also cited a 1,600 percent increase in assaults on ICE officers and said sanctuary-city rhetoric has accompanied that rise. On Sept. 25 the department said ICE arrested Jesus Israel Garcia-Cobarruvias, a Mexican national previously removed three times, after he allegedly used a vehicle to assault a law enforcement officer in California. He has prior convictions for burglary and domestic violence. Americans can review additional public-safety cases on the department’s WOW page. The weekend list spans California, Indiana, Florida, Maryland, Louisiana, New York, Iowa, Texas, Pennsylvania, Kansas, Virginia, and Massachusetts.