U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers continued their operations over the weekend, arresting individuals convicted of serious crimes despite an ongoing government shutdown. The agency reported that these arrests included people found guilty of offenses such as child rape, murder, and drug trafficking.
Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stated, “Unlike the Democrats — who perpetuated the longest government shutdown in American history— ICE law enforcement officers are hard at work for the American people. While Americans were enjoying their weekends, our brave ICE law enforcement were arresting child rapists, murderers, kidnappers, robbers, and drug traffickers. President Trump and Secretary Noem’s message is clear: If you come to our country illegally and break our laws, you WILL be arrested and deported. And you will NEVER return.”
Among those arrested were Manuel Emilio Lora-Troncoso from the Dominican Republic, convicted of two counts of rape of a child with force in Massachusetts; Iren Nolasco-Almendaris from Mexico, convicted of murder in Texas; Abukadir Mohamed Haji from Somalia, convicted for aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a victim under 13 in Illinois; Joel Rojas-Peraves from Mexico for continuous sexual abuse of a child in California; Benito Niz-Chilel from Guatemala for unlawful sexual contact with a minor in Delaware; Juan Caro-Martin from Mexico for multiple counts of aggravated criminal sex abuse and predatory criminal sex assault in Illinois; David Caridad-Rodan from Cuba for lewd and lascivious activity with a minor in Florida; Gladys Bustamente-Rios from Honduras for endangering welfare of children in New Jersey; Jonathan Segura-Avina from Mexico for domestic abuse assault and operating a vehicle while intoxicated in Iowa; Martin Alonzo Calderon-Ortalejo from Mexico for kidnapping and aiding and abetting in Texas; Leonardo Arellano-Alvarado from Mexico for felony battery in Florida; Cesar Augusto Espinoza-Garcia from Mexico for assault family/house member impeding breath/circulation in Texas; Luis Fernando Guardado-Moreno from El Salvador for robbery with a dangerous weapon in North Carolina; Dauris Guzman-Ruiz from the Dominican Republic for cocaine smuggling and drug trafficking in Texas; Darvin Peguero Ruiz from the Dominican Republic for unlawful trafficking of scheduled drugs in Maine.
ICE emphasized that its officers remain active during the government shutdown period.
