In the first six months of the Trump administration, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested 356 gang members in the Houston area who had illegally entered the United States a total of 1,434 times and accumulated nearly 1,700 criminal convictions.
The agency stated that those apprehended included individuals convicted of murder, crimes against children, theft, arson, and other offenses. One individual reportedly crossed into the U.S. unlawfully 40 times.
ICE said these arrests were part of efforts to prioritize what it described as "the worst of the worst" for removal in order to maintain public safety and national security.
“Despite attempts by some to undermine the courageous work being done by our officers, the brave men and women of ICE continue to put their lives on the line every day to arrest violent transnational gang members, foreign fugitives and dangerous criminal aliens,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Houston acting Field Office Director Gabriel Martinez. “In just the past couple of years in Houston, transnational gang members were responsible for brutally raping and murdering an innocent 12-year-old girl on her way to the store. Our officers know their efforts can help prevent atrocities like that from every occurring again and they won’t rest until they’re all gone.”
Among those arrested were Milton Alexander Magana Fuentes from El Salvador, a convicted child predator; Ronald Alberto Rivas-Aguilar, an MS-13 member also from El Salvador with a homicide conviction; Humberto Romero Avila from Mexico wanted for homicide; Jonathan Josue Valle-Moralez from El Salvador facing prosecution for homicide; Javier Ivan Montoya-Avila from Mexico with multiple illegal entries; Jose Angel Martinez from Mexico convicted of sexual indecency with a minor; Luis Fernando Nava-Garcia from Mexico with 40 illegal entries; Gerardo Ortega-Contreras from Mexico with various convictions including burglary and drug possession; Juan Manuel Cayetano-Vasquez from Mexico with numerous drug-related convictions; Jonathan Morales-Abundis from Mexico previously deported for alien smuggling; Jose Pizano-Tierrablanca from Mexico convicted of sexual indecency with a minor; Samuel Valenzuela Martinez from Mexico with DWI convictions; Luis Alberto Hernandez from Mexico convicted of domestic violence among other crimes; and Juan Pablo Hernandez Ramos from Mexico previously deported three times for child pornography offenses.
ICE reported arrests across more than 40 gangs. The agency listed totals including 39 MS-13 members, 25 Tren de Aragua members, 15th Street Gang members, six Latin Kings members, 159 Paisas gang members, twelve Surenos-13 gang members, and twenty-six Tango Blast gang members.
The criminal convictions covered offenses such as abduction, homicide, sexual assault (including crimes against children), promotion of child pornography, aggravated assault, domestic violence, burglary, alien smuggling, sex trafficking, organized crime activities such as drug trafficking or possession, arson, trespassing, unlawful possession of firearms as well as illegal entry or reentry.
ICE encourages people to report suspected immigration violations or suspicious activity by calling its tip line or using its online form.
For information about careers at ICE or updates on enforcement actions in Texas through social media channels such as X at @EROHouston are available on their website.
