DHS Confirms Cartel Bounties for ICE and CBP Agents in Chicago
Tricia McLaughlin, the assistant secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), shared on American Report that Mexican cartels and U.S. gangs have started offering bounties of up to $50,000 for attacks against federal employees. This is part of a coordinated effort aimed at targeting officers from ICE and CBP in Chicago.
Since President Donald Trump took office in January, over 500,000 individuals have been deported, with the current administration set to far exceed previous records for deportations in the United States. A senior DHS official mentioned that more than 515,000 illegal aliens have been deported during Trump’s administration.
McLaughlin noted that the administration is likely to “break historic records” by deporting 600,000 individuals by the end of Trump’s first year in office. Overall, she stated that over 2 million unauthorized individuals have exited the U.S., where around 1.6 million were deported voluntarily, with an additional 485,000 arrests made by DHS since January.
She remarked, “This is just the beginning,” highlighting how Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem have revitalized an agency that previously faced significant limitations over the past four years.
McLaughlin indicated that the message is clear for illegal aliens: leave now or face repercussions. She also pointed out a drastic decline in migration through Panama’s Darien Ditch, a critical migration path into the U.S.
Despite numerous legal injunctions from activist judges, she stated that ICE, CBP, and the U.S. Coast Guard have made significant strides in fulfilling Trump’s commitment to detain and deport unauthorized aliens.
This past weekend, DHS reported it is continuing efforts to remove the “worst of the worst” criminal illegal aliens, even as a government shutdown looms. They announced several arrests, including a convicted child rapist and others involved in serious crimes.
Among those apprehended was Eric Xavier Romero, a Dominican national, convicted in Boston for child rape, as well as Osvaldo Cortez-Chajon, a dual citizen from Germany and Guatemala, arrested in Alabama for illicit activities involving minors. Another case involved Graciano López-Flores from Mexico, arrested in North Carolina for child molestation.
In related arrests, ICE apprehended individuals in various states for serious offenses. For instance, in North Carolina, a Bangladeshi national named Shahed Hassan was caught after convictions for multiple crimes, while Van Pham from Laos faced charges related to kidnapping and robbery in Virginia.
In Massachusetts, Patricia Pimental Cordero, a Dominican citizen, was arrested for hit-and-run offenses. Ramona Mercado-Vazquez, from Dominica, was caught in New Jersey for robbery and kidnapping. Additionally, in Wisconsin, Carlet Zagal Salazar, a Mexican national, was arrested for drug trafficking.
McLaughlin emphasized that nothing, not even the government shutdown, would hinder their mission to enhance safety in America. She criticized Democratic lawmakers for their role in the shutdown, asserting that ICE agents continue to target and apprehend dangerous criminals within the country.
