by Houston, TX — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers arrested 1,505 criminal foreign nationals in the Houston area during a roughly 10-day operation ending October 31, targeting violent offenders, gang members, and fugitives.
Operation Overview
The operation included 17 documented gang members, 40 aggravated felons, 13 sexual predators, one convicted murderer, a Mexican Mafia gang member, and an MS-13 member wanted by Salvadoran authorities. Nearly one-third of those arrested had final removal orders from a federal immigration judge.
Bret Bradford, Director of ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Houston Field Office, praised officers’ efforts: “Despite increasingly dangerous conditions, ICE officers continue to apprehend violent criminal aliens, child predators, and gang members who threaten public safety in Southeast Texas.”
Criminal Histories
The arrested individuals had extensive criminal backgrounds, including:
- 115 aggravated assaults
- 142 DWIs
- 55 drug-related offenses
- 25 burglary/theft offenses
- 31 weapons violations
- 255 felony offenses for illegal reentry after deportation
ICE highlighted that these arrests prevent crimes such as assaults, DUI accidents, and child predation, saving lives and protecting Houston residents.
Notable Arrests
Several arrests involved high-profile offenders:
- Selvin Joel Lara Diaz, a Mexican Mafia member, convicted of raping and impregnating his minor sister, previously deported, illegally reentered the U.S., and is wanted in Honduras for murder. He was found hiding under stockroom shelves in a grocery store.
- Marlon Odir Gomez Hernandez, an MS-13 gang member from El Salvador, evaded capture by climbing into ceiling panels at a local washateria but was eventually apprehended and taken to the Montgomery Processing Center.
- Other violent offenders included a four-time previously deported Paisas gang member and a Honduran national convicted of crimes against minors, as well as a Laos national involved in sexual exploitation of a minor.
Coordinated Enforcement
The operation involved multiple law enforcement agencies, including:
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
- DEA
- ATF
- U.S. Attorney’s Office
- Diplomatic Security Service
- FBI
- U.S. Marshals Service
- Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS)
The operation nearly doubles arrests from August and triples the number from March in the Houston area, demonstrating ICE’s continued focus on public safety.
Bradford emphasized that illegal alien offenders pose real dangers on the roads and in communities, and ICE remains committed to preventing violent crimes before they occur.
Do operations like this make communities safer, or should enforcement focus elsewhere? Share your opinions on ICE’s Houston arrests and public safety in the comments below.
