ICE Arrests Nearly 700 Illegal Aliens in Houston and Los Angeles, Deports Over 500
May 15, 2025
Hannah Davis
FAIR Take | May 2025
As part of a weeklong enforcement operation “focused on bolstering public safety,” Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested 681 illegal aliens in Houston and Los Angeles. The operation, which ran from May 4 to May 10, specifically targeted criminal illegal aliens with records of serious offenses, including murder, sexual assault against adults and minors, terroristic threats, gang affiliation, aggravated assault, human smuggling, narcotic-related offenses, and drunk driving.
The majority of arrests occurred in Houston, where ICE apprehended 422 aliens. Of those, 262 had criminal convictions, 229 had final orders of removal,126 had immigration-related violations, and 34 had pending convictions. In addition to arresting these individuals, ICE said it deported 528 individuals during the operation. In Los Angeles, ICE arrested 239 illegal aliens.
One of the most egregious arrests was that of a Colombian national with a homicide conviction in Colombia, and who served 21 years in prison, according to the ICE official in Houston. Despite the severity of his crime, he illegally entered the U.S. in 2024 and was released by the Biden administration after receiving a Notice to Appear for an immigration hearing. Because he failed to appear for his court hearing, an immigration judge ordered his removal, but he remained at large.
ICE agents also arrested Hector Castillo-Garcia, a twice-deported Mexican national with a criminal record that includes arson, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and driving while intoxicated. As ICE approached Castillo-Garcia, he fled the scene in a vehicle, but was eventually captured on foot.
https://www.fairus.org/news/executive/ice-arrests-700-illegal-aliens-deports-500
