On November 24, 2025, four House Democrats—Representatives Juan Vargas, Mike Levin, Sara Jacobs, and Scott Peters—visited the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) San Diego Field Office. The lawmakers requested a meeting with Dennis Mauricio Rojas-Molina, a Honduran national previously deported from the United States who was recently arrested by the San Diego Sheriff’s Office on charges of kidnapping and battery of a spouse.
Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin criticized the visit. “Democrats once again chose to stand with a criminal illegal alien over American citizens,” said McLaughlin. “This criminal illegal alien these Democrat lawmakers met with has been charged with kidnapping and domestic abuse. It begs the question: have they met with his victim? These sanctuary politicians continue to smear law enforcement and falsely claim ICE is not targeting the worst of the worst. It’s disgusting that these sanctuary politicians continue to do the bidding of criminal illegal aliens.”
According to information provided by authorities, Rojas-Molina was first arrested by U.S. Border Patrol near Lukeville, Arizona in June 2015. He was released into the country during the Obama administration. An immigration judge ordered his removal in October 2015, after which he was deported. At some point after his removal, he re-entered the United States illegally.
ICE officials stated that they continue to prioritize enforcement against individuals considered serious threats to public safety. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reports that about 70% of those arrested by ICE are non-citizens with criminal convictions or pending charges in the United States. This percentage does not include those wanted for violent crimes abroad or flagged by INTERPOL notices.
DHS maintains its focus on apprehending individuals involved in serious offenses such as murder, sexual assault, gang activity, terrorism, and other significant public safety threats.
