ICE officers keep making arrests without pay as government shutdown continues

By Bethany Blankley
The Center Square

Illegal border crosser crime doesn’t stop despite a government shutdown. As Democrats in Congress continue to keep the government shut down and federal employees go without pay or are laid off, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers continued to work without pay over the weekend targeting violent offenders.

They arrested violent men with criminal histories including child sex crimes, rapists, gang members, drug traffickers, thieves and drunk drivers.

In Chicago, arrests were made after violent attacks against ICE and Border Patrol agents, multiple incidents of ramming and blocking federal agents in their vehicles.

Arrests in Chicago were part of “Operation Midway Blitz,” which launched Sept. 8. By Oct. 3, more than 1,000 criminal foreign nationals had been arrested.

“Our brave men and women of law enforcement are being targeted and attacked by violent anarchists who seek to tear down America,” Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said. “I want each and every member of law enforcement to know this: President Trump and I have your backs. We stand with ICE as they continue to protect and defend our homeland.”

ICE Chicago agents arrested over the weekend a confirmed Tren de Aragua foreign terrorist gang member, Venezuelan national Wilmer Alexander Gonzalez Garaban, whose criminal history includes theft and resisting an officer; Venezuelan national Abrahan Alfonzo Jimenez Rodriguez, whose criminal history includes charges for resisting an officer, vehicle theft, aggravated assault with a weapon, obstructing justice and aggravated assault with a gun; and Guatemalan national Jorge Mario Ramirez-Lopez, with a larceny conviction.

They also arrested Mexican nationals Ricardo Gervasio-Gervasio, with convictions for cocaine possession, driving under the influence of liquor and dangerous drugs; Pedro Navajas-Contreras, with three driving under the influence convictions; Uriel Alvarez-Meneses, with eight convictions, including multiple driving under the influence and traffic offenses and a prior hit-and-run charge; Luis Arroyo-Telles, with convictions of fraud, licensing violation and cruelty toward a child; Arturo Guzman, with convictions of drug trafficking and selling amphetamines and illegally re-entering the U.S. twice.

“Our officers continue to risk their lives and work without pay because of the Democrats’ government shutdown,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said. “We will not let political games or violence against law enforcement slow us down from making American safe again.”

DHS also highlighted the “worst of the worst” criminal foreign nationals arrested nationwide over the weekend – primarily citizens of Brazil, Cambodia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Venezuela and Vietnam.

Of the hundreds arrested, they include in California Salvadoran national Angel Antonio Vasquez, a confirmed MS-13 gang member, convicted of burglary and rape; Vietnamese national Nan-Su Hoang, convicted of burglary; Mexican national Miguel Gomez-Riios, convicted of force/assault deadly weapon.

ICE agents also arrested Guatemalan Pedro Castro-Castro, convicted of burglary, shoplifting, rape, and incest with a minor, in Alabama; Cambodian national Kosal Chea, convicted of three counts of sexual assault inflicting bodily injury or victim for a child under age 16, in Montana; and Brazilian Thiago Dos Santos, convicted of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, in Massachusetts.

They also arrested Mexican nationals Angel Avalos-Rodriguez, previously deported five times whose felony convictions include forgery, firearms possession, domestic violence, criminal mischief, and multiple illegal entries in Texas, California and Oregon; Bonifacio Mendez, convicted of dealing child pornography, in Delaware; Nicolas Ortiz-Zenteno, convicted of a sex crime committed against a child, arrested in New York; Sammy Rey-Justiniano, convicted on weapons charges and driving under the influence, in New Jersey; and Omar Garcia-Pineda, convicted of attempted trafficking of opium by possession, in North Carolina.

In Texas, they arrested Mexican nationals Fiacro Huerta-Tobon, convicted of indecency with child contact, in Dallas; Ramon Venzor-Villa, convicted for smuggling of persons, in El Paso; and Honduran nationals Jorge Avilez-Lara, convicted of alien smuggling and Oscar Paz-Velasquez, convicted of unlawful carrying of a weapon, arrested in Del Rio and Bexar County, respectively.

Those arrested remain in ICE custody pending removal.