In a significant operation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Houston successfully apprehended over 3,500 criminal illegal immigrants during the recent government shutdown. Among those detained were individuals with serious charges including child predation, murder, and gang affiliations, all while many ICE agents worked without pay.

The six-week operation, spanning from October 1 to November 12, stands as one of the largest enforcement efforts in recent memory. ICE officials highlighted the operation’s success as a testament to the agency’s dedication to safeguarding public safety, even under challenging circumstances where employees faced financial uncertainty.

“Our team’s commitment to ICE’s mission, which focuses on public safety and national security, is unwavering,” stated Bret Bradford, Director of ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations in Houston. “Despite the personal financial hardships they faced, our agents continued their critical work, protecting the community from dangerous individuals including gang members, child predators, murderers, and rapists.”

During the operation, ICE detained a total of 3,593 criminal illegal immigrants across Southeast Texas. This included 67 sex offenders, 51 individuals accused of crimes against children, 13 individuals charged with murder, 10 fugitives, and 23 gang members. Notably, members of notorious gangs such as MS-13 and Paisas were among those arrested.

An ICE official is seen conducting an operation in the Houston area. (ICE)

Officials said the arrests also included hundreds of aliens with convictions for driving while intoxicated, aggravated assault, weapons offenses and burglary.

Other convictions included aggravated kidnapping, drug-related offenses, human trafficking, making terroristic threats, prostitution, bribery and illegal reentry.

Among those arrested was Brayan Josue Pineda-Ayala, a 23-year-old MS-13 gang member from Honduras who was released into the U.S. by the Biden administration in May 2024 and later allegedly committed a triple homicide in Dallas County. ICE arrested him on Oct. 7.

 ICE Houston arrested 3,593 criminal illegal aliens during the longest federal government shutdown in history. (ICE)

ICE also arrested Froilan Mejia Olveram, a 44-year-old twice-removed criminal alien and convicted rapist from Mexico, on Oct. 23. ICE said Mejia had been encountered by agents in 2023 but could not be taken into custody due to the Biden administration’s enforcement guidelines. He went on to rape and assault a woman the following month and was later convicted, according to ICE.

Other arrests included Baldomero Perez-Quezada, a 56-year-old four-time removed child predator from Mexico who was deported Oct. 31; Marco Dubon-Ayala, a 51-year-old from Mexico convicted of sexual indecency with a child; and Juan Jose Moreno-Renteria, a 40-year-old child predator from Mexico who had entered the U.S. illegally seven times.

ICE said agents also arrested 10 fugitives wanted for serious crimes in the U.S. and abroad.

Among the criminal aliens arrested were 67 sex offenders, 51 child predators, 13 murderers, 10 wanted fugitives and 23 gang members, ICE said. (ICE)

Among them was Octavio Cruz-Garcia, a five-time-removed criminal alien from Mexico wanted for homicide in Harris County, Texas.

Two Honduran brothers, Elder Antonio Cruz-Hernandez and Yony Roberto Cruz-Hernandez, were also arrested and remain in ICE custody pending repatriation to Honduras, where they are wanted for homicide.

The arrests underscore the agency’s mission to remove violent offenders and ensure those wanted for serious crimes face justice.

“As a result of those efforts, 51 dangerous child predators are no longer free to prey on our children, 10 fugitives have been apprehended and will now face justice for their alleged offenses, and thousands of other violent criminal aliens have been removed from local communities throughout Southeast Texas and will be removed from the United States,” Bradford said.