A major immigration enforcement sweep in southeast Texas has taken more than 800 illegal immigrants off the streets, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The week-long operation, which ran from Aug. 17 to Aug. 23, targeted the region after years of chaos from what officials called former President Joe Biden’s “open-border policies.”
In total, 822 illegal aliens were arrested. Among them were five transnational gang members, seven child predators, and three individuals convicted of homicide-related crimes. ICE said 330 of those arrested had previously been ordered removed from the country, while 112 had been deported at least once and returned illegally.
“During the past four years, transnational gang members, foreign fugitives and other violent criminal aliens took advantage of the crisis at our southern border to illegally enter the country,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations acting Field Office Director Gabriel Martinez. He added that many remained in Houston and “wreaked havoc in our local communities.”
One of the most notable arrests was 54-year-old Mexican national Alejandro Perez Miramontes, who had been deported 12 times. He racked up convictions for illegal entry and reentry, robbery, burglary, trespassing, and evading arrest.
ICE also highlighted the case of 35-year-old Salvadoran national William Alexander Telles Amaya, described as a habitual child predator. His convictions include aggravated sexual assault of a child, failure to register as a sex offender, and sexual indecency with a minor. Other child predators were also captured, including offenders from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico.
The sweep netted violent offenders beyond sex crimes. One Zimbabwe national had a record of habitual drunk driving, including a conviction for intoxication manslaughter. Another Salvadoran national was wanted in El Salvador for aggravated homicide. ICE also arrested an MS-13 gang member convicted of armed carjacking.
Officials said the arrests were part of President Donald Trump’s push to restore public safety by cracking down on the “worst of the worst” criminal aliens. The operation included several federal agencies and the Texas Department of Public Safety.