Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents conducted a sweeping operation across Washington, D.C., targeting businesses and apprehending individuals with alleged gang affiliations and criminal histories.
According to Fox News, federal authorities arrested 189 illegal immigrants and served inspection notices to 187 local businesses during a four-day operation from May 6 to May 9, focusing on criminal alien offenders and members of transnational criminal organizations.
The operation, coordinated with multiple law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, ATF, DEA, and U.S. Marshals Service, specifically targeted members of notorious gangs such as MS-13, Tren de Aragua, and 18th Street.
ICE officials emphasized that many arrests occurred after local jurisdictions had previously declined to honor immigration detainers, releasing these individuals back into their communities.
Major criminal elements targeted in operation
Russell Hott, director of ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Washington, D.C. Field Office, shared his perspective on the operation:
The District of Columbia is exponentially safer today because of countless hours of investigative work and dedication to duty displayed by ICE Washington, D.C. and our law enforcement partners. Throughout this enhanced enforcement operation, we targeted the most dangerous alien offenders in some of the most crime-infested neighborhoods in the city of Washington, D.C. Evil is powerless if the good are unafraid.
Among those arrested was a 30-year-old Salvadoran national with a criminal record including simple assault, driving while intoxicated, and brandishing a machete. Another significant arrest involved a 47-year-old Guatemalan citizen with prior convictions for drug possession, illegal reentry, and sexual assault.
Federal agents conducted thorough investigations of local establishments, examining I-9 employment forms to verify work authorization status. The comprehensive operation demonstrated the administration's commitment to enforcing immigration laws and maintaining public safety.
Local government response creates tension
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser expressed concern about the operation's impact on local communities. She questioned the targeting methods employed by ICE, suggesting that the arrests appeared to focus on general immigrant populations rather than specific criminal elements.
Interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Ed Martin offered a different perspective, praising President Trump's leadership and the operation's effectiveness. He emphasized that the arrests represented a significant step toward improving public safety in the nation's capital.
The operation highlighted ongoing tensions between federal immigration enforcement priorities and local government policies. Several arrests involved individuals who had been previously released by local jurisdictions despite active immigration detainers.
Looking forward Washington's immigration landscape
The extensive operation marks a significant shift in immigration enforcement within the District of Columbia, resulting in nearly 200 arrests and hundreds of business inspections. Federal authorities conducted this comprehensive initiative by targeting specific criminal elements and coordinating with multiple law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, ATF, and DEA.
The operation's outcome reflects the current administration's emphasis on immigration enforcement and public safety, particularly in areas where local jurisdictions have shown resistance to cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
As tensions continue between federal and local officials, the impact of these enforcement actions on Washington D.C.'s immigrant communities and business sector remains a subject of ongoing debate.
