U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers conducted a series of arrests over the weekend, targeting individuals described as some of the most serious criminal offenders among undocumented immigrants. The arrests took place while many Americans were celebrating Hanukkah and attending Christmas gatherings.
According to Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, "While Americans were at Christmas parties and celebrating the first night of Hanukkah, the patriotic heroes of ICE law enforcement were selflessly risking their lives to arrest the worst of the worst. This weekend, ICE arrested murderers, pedophiles, and drug traffickers. This holiday season, Americans can rejoice these monsters are out of their neighborhoods."
Among those arrested were individuals convicted for crimes such as murder, sexual offenses against minors, drug trafficking, robbery, kidnapping, fraud, money laundering conspiracy, carjacking with a firearm, domestic assault, grand theft, and statutory sexual seduction. The individuals originated from countries including Thailand, Guatemala, Mexico, the Philippines, Cuba, China, Vietnam, Honduras and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Notable cases include Thai Lor from Thailand convicted for second-degree murder in St. Paul; Patricia Judith Diaz-Angel from Guatemala convicted for pimping a minor in Los Angeles; Benevenuto Walter Lopez-Alonzo from Guatemala convicted for sexual exploitation of a minor in Iowa; Hector Rodarte Ramirez from Mexico convicted for sexual assault on a child in Texas; David Moreno-Gomez from Mexico convicted for indecent assault of a minor in Pennsylvania; Yovanny Dominguez-Herrera from Mexico convicted for lewd acts with a child under 14 in California; Anthony Agduma from the Philippines convicted for felony sexual assault of a child in New Jersey; Pablo Ivan Gomez-Torres from Cuba convicted for homicide and other charges in Florida; Chi Ying from China convicted for money laundering conspiracy in Massachusetts; Jovo Lopez-Zaavedra from Mexico convicted for course of sexual conduct in New York; Sergio Lopez-Reyna from Mexico convicted for carjacking with a firearm in North Carolina; Antonio Valdez-Lera from Mexico convicted for domestic assault in Tennessee; Samweli Lwaboshi Oshigee from the Democratic Republic of the Congo convicted for statutory sexual seduction by person age 21 or older in Nevada; Hinh Quang Tran from Vietnam convicted for cocaine trafficking over 150kg in Florida; and Carlos Diaz-Pabon from Honduras convicted for grand theft in Florida.
ICE states that these actions are part of ongoing efforts to remove individuals who have committed serious crimes after entering or residing unlawfully within U.S. borders.
