As the ongoing government shutdown continues, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has reported a series of arrests involving individuals described as criminal illegal aliens with serious convictions. According to ICE, 70% of its arrests involve non-citizens who have been charged or convicted of crimes within the United States.
Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stated, "The Democrats’ longest government shutdown in American history has not stopped ICE from arresting the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens from American communities across the country. Yesterday, ICE arrested child rapists, kidnappers, and child abusers. President Trump and Secretary Noem unleashed ICE to target the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens. 70% of ICE arrests are of illegal aliens charged or convicted of a crime in the U.S."
Among those arrested were Maximo De Jesus Peralta-Rodriguez from the Dominican Republic, convicted in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania for rape of a child and deviate sexual intercourse; Hugo Douglas Mendoza-Bamaca from Guatemala, convicted in Georgetown, Delaware for fourth degree rape—sexual penetration without consent; Moses Antonio Menjivar-Tobar from El Salvador, convicted in Grayson County, Texas for intoxication manslaughter; Ricardo Ventura-Garcia from Mexico with 14 criminal convictions including cruelty toward a child, assault, kidnapping, and drug possession in Ogden, Utah; and Diego Zashaury Melendez-Moreira from Honduras, convicted for attempted robbery in Bronx, New York.
ICE maintains that despite challenges posed by the current government shutdown—which is being described as the longest on record—the agency continues its operations focused on apprehending individuals with significant criminal backgrounds.
