Over the first weekend of the new year, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained individuals convicted of serious crimes, including murder and rape, as outlined in a press release obtained by Blaze News. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reported a remarkable 120% increase in personnel, largely due to a recruitment campaign that brought in over 12,000 new ICE officers and agents from around 220,000 applications.
The DHS expressed that with this influx of personnel, they aim to fulfill commitments made by President Trump to enhance safety in America. A press release shared details about 15 particularly dangerous illegal aliens who were arrested during that weekend.
ICE noted, “During the weekend, we took into custody murderers, stalkers, rapists, and gang members.” One of those arrested was Jose Cano-Cruz, a Mexican national already convicted of murder and aggravated stalking in Georgia.
Another arrest was Waheed Allah Mohammad, an Afghan national; he had been convicted of attempted murder and first-degree assault in New York after he admitted to stabbing his sister, viewing her as a “bad Muslim girl” for wanting to leave home.
Then there was Carlos Danilo Barrera, identified as a member of the Florencia 13 gang in El Salvador, previously convicted of second-degree murder in Los Angeles. Meanwhile, Ruben Pulido-Cortez, a Mexican national, was apprehended for his prior conviction for rape in Queens, New York.
Leonel Rodriguez Garcia, also from Mexico, faced charges for kidnapping in California. Uriel Segovia-Leon was picked up for assaulting someone in Indiana, while Duane Alland Spence, a Jamaica native, had a history of serious injury assault in Miami.
Patricio Hernandez Gomez was another Mexican national arrested, convicted of false imprisonment in Kentucky. Yesenia Monserrat Monge Orozco had a record of vehicle theft and drug-related crimes in California.
Tinh Tung Nguyen, meanwhile, had been convicted of armed robbery in Oklahoma. Federal agents also arrested Esteban Reyes Cortez from Mexico, who faced multiple charges, including assault and theft-related offenses in Florida and Georgia.
Lastly, Jose Antonio Poblete Velasquez, originally from Chile, was convicted of robbery in California after attempting to distract an elderly woman to steal from her. Luis Alberto Medel Miranda, another Mexican national, was arrested for driving while impaired in North Carolina, and Kevin Luis Gonzalez from Honduras was taken into custody for weapons possession in New York. ICE also apprehended Harvey Gomez Alaniz, a Nicaraguan national previously convicted for evading arrest in Texas.
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin remarked that the first year of the Trump Administration showcased significant progress in deporting criminal illegal aliens, and she projected even more significant progress for 2026. McLaughlin emphasized that recent efforts led to the arrests of dangerous individuals, thus reinforcing the commitment to enhancing public safety.
