ICE Continues Immigration Enforcement in Minnesota
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is actively arresting undocumented individuals across Minnesota, including many who have prior convictions and final orders of deportation. This is happening despite pushback from Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Governor Tim Walz.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin noted that recent arrests included repeat offenders, one of whom was convicted of serious crimes such as kidnapping and armed assault against law enforcement.
“Our law enforcement officers risk their lives to apprehend violent offenders who have been released from Minnesota prisons, ultimately saving countless lives,” McLaughlin stated. She pointed out that 70% of ICE arrests nationally involve undocumented individuals who have been charged or convicted of crimes in the U.S.
As part of Operation Metro Surge, ICE apprehended Bi Yan, an undocumented individual from Thailand. Yan has had a deportation order since 2015 and boasts a long list of serious offenses, including first-degree kidnapping and motor vehicle theft.
ICE also arrested Wilson Johnny Encalada Molina from Ecuador, who is under a deportation order established in 2023 and faced charges linked to the third-degree rape of a minor.
Another arrest involved Ian Mwangi Irungu, a Kenyan national convicted for drug sales. Additionally, Melvin Yovany Hernandez España from Honduras, who has faced assault charges, was also taken into custody, as was Celigo Quintero Romero from Mexico.
Romero has previously been deported three times and has a longstanding deportation order since 2012, during which he allegedly attempted to deceive the immigration system using a counterfeit permanent resident card.
Meanwhile, Oliverio Otoniel Francisco Esteban from Mexico was arrested after having been deported five times. He had a deportation order from 2015 and several previous convictions, including driving under the influence and possession of fraudulent immigration documents. He also has an outstanding warrant for failing to appear in a Springfield, Ohio court.
