Federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies joined forces in a massive operation targeting criminal aliens and gang members in the Houston metropolitan area.
According to Breitbart, Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) week-long operation resulted in the arrest of 646 illegal aliens, including 543 individuals with criminal records and seven documented gang members.
The collaborative effort, conducted between February 23 and March 3, involved multiple agencies, including U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The Texas Department of Public Safety, Diplomatic Security Service, U.S. Marshals Service, and various state and local law enforcement agencies also participated in the operation.
Among those apprehended, 140 individuals faced charges or convictions for violent crimes such as homicide, aggravated assault, and domestic violence. The operation also resulted in the arrest of 34 persons with sex-related offenses, including aggravated sexual assault of minors and possession of child pornography.
Law enforcement officials executed 71 criminal arrest warrants during the raids. The operation uncovered 38 illegal firearms offenses and 52 narcotics-related crimes. Additionally, 51 individuals were charged with property crimes, while 93 faced drunk-driving charges.
ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Houston Field Office Director Bret Bradford emphasized the significance of the operation. He explained that dangerous fugitives and transnational gang members have exploited the southern border crisis to enter the United States illegally.
The Houston-area raids represent a continuation of ongoing enforcement efforts in southeast Texas. Prior to this operation, authorities conducted workplace enforcement actions in Spring, Texas, resulting in the arrest of 20 unauthorized workers.
ICE agents recently conducted operations in Colony Ridge, Texas's largest migrant colony located north of Houston. These actions led to several significant arrests, including a three-time deported Salvadoran national wanted for child sex assault and a seven-time deported MS-13 gang member.
In a separate incident before the operation, law enforcement arrested three illegal aliens allegedly possessing 344 pounds of methamphetamine in the Colony Ridge area.
ICE Homeland Security Investigations Houston Special Agent in Charge Chad Plantz stated:
In just one week working alongside our counterparts from federal, state and local law enforcement, ICE HSI special agents successfully executed 71 criminal arrest warrants and made 554 administrative arrests that included illegally present human smugglers, gang members, human traffickers, child sex offenders, drug traffickers and weapons traffickers.
The multi-agency task force demonstrated unprecedented cooperation among various law enforcement entities. ICE ERO Houston Field Office Director Bradford emphasized their shared mission:
Fueled by our unwavering commitment to protect the public from harm and united in our determination to restore integrity to our nation's system of laws, ICE and our law enforcement partners in Southeast Texas have banded together to remove these dangerous criminal aliens from our local communities and put an end to the lawlessness that they spread.
The week-long operation in Houston resulted in the arrest of 646 illegal aliens, with 543 having criminal records and seven identified as gang members. The collaborative effort involved numerous law enforcement agencies working together to enhance public safety and border security.
The operation represents a continuation of increased enforcement actions in southeast Texas, targeting criminal activities ranging from human trafficking to drug possession and violent crimes.
