(The Center Square) – In the first six months of the Trump administration, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations-Houston (ICE ERO) officers arrested 356 illegal foreign nationals who are members of roughly 40 gangs.
Combined, they illegally entered the U.S. 1,434 times with one Mexican national illegally entering the U.S. 40 times.
Those arrested have a combined 1,685 criminal convictions, including for “abduction, homicide, sexual assault, sexual assault of a child, promotion of child pornography, aggravated assault, domestic violence, burglary, alien smuggling, sex trafficking, organized crime, drug trafficking, drug possession, arson, trespassing, unlawful possession of a firearm, illegal entry, illegal reentry, fraud, escape and evading arrest,” ICE announced.
“Despite attempts by some to undermine the courageous work being done by our officers, the brave men and women of ICE continue to put their lives on the line every day to arrest violent transnational gang members, foreign fugitives and dangerous criminal aliens,” ICE ERO Houston Acting Field Office Director Gabriel Martinez said. “In just the past couple of years in Houston, transnational gang members were responsible for brutally raping and murdering an innocent 12-year-old girl on her way to the store. Our officers know their efforts can help prevent atrocities like that from ever occurring again and they won’t rest until they’re all gone.”
Among those arrested were 64 from recently designated foreign terrorist organizations: MS-13 (39) and Tren de Aragua (25). Other gang members arrested include 159 from Paisas, 26 from Tango Blast, 12 from Surenos-13, six from Latin Kings, among others.
Of the “worst of the worst” examples ICE listed, the majority are Mexican Paisas gang members and two Salvadoran MS-13 gang members.
Of Mexican Paisas gang members listed, one includes Luis Fernando Nava-Garcia, 20, who illegally entered the U.S. 40 times – more than twice the number of his age. He has only been convicted twice for illegal reentry. Another includes Javier Ivan Montoya-Avila, 34, who illegally entered the U.S. 26 time. His convictions include burglary, tampering with government records, criminal trespass, illegal reentry and illegal entry.
Others include Jose Angel Martinez, a “child predator” who illegally entered the U.S. five times. His convictions include sexual indecency with a minor, aggravated assault of a family member, resisting arrest, burglary, drug possession and obstructing police; Samuel Valenzuela Martinez, who illegally entered the U.S. five times. His convictions include six for DWI, three times each for assault and illegal entry, and one each for hit-and-run, larceny, cruelty toward a child, evading arrest, fraud and illegal reentry, according to ICE records.
Other Paisas gang member arrests include Juan Pablo Hernandez Ramos, a “child predator” previously deported three times. His convictions include possession with intent to promote child pornography, sexual assault, aggravated assault, illegal entry and illegal reentry; and Humberto Romero Avila, who illegally entered the U.S. 10 times. He was deported in February to Mexico, where he was wanted for homicide. His convictions include four DWIs, and convictions for larceny, illegal reentry and illegal entry.
Other arrest examples include Mexican Tango Blast member Gerardo Ortega-Contreras, who was previously deported. His convictions include five times for resisting/evading arrest, four times for DWI, three times each for obstructing an investigation and burglary, twice for hit-and-run, and once each for drug possession, assault and larceny.
Mexican Surenos-13 gang member arrests include Juan Manuel Cayetano-Vasquez, who illegally entered the U.S. 13 times. His convictions include six for drug possession and three for resisting arrest; twice each for domestic violence, assault and identity theft; once each for false imprisonment, illegal entry, illegal reentry, battery and destroying evidence.
Another is Jonathan Morales-Abundis, who illegally entered the U.S. 29 times; his convictions include three for illegal reentry, and once for alien smuggling and illegal entry.
Another is Jose Pizano-Tierrablanca, who illegally entered the U.S. four times; his convictions include sexual indecency with a minor and illegal entry.
Of the Mexican Latin Kings members arrested, one includes Luis Alberto Hernandez, who illegally entered the U.S. three times. His convictions include four for domestic violence, three for illegal reentry, twice for aggravated assault, and once each for drug trafficking, unlawful possession of a firearm, obstructing police, disorderly conduct, drug possession, interfering with a 911 emergency call and child abuse.
Salvadoran MS-13 gang member arrests include Ronald Alberto Rivas-Aguilar, who twice illegally entered the U.S. and was convicted of homicide; and Jonathan Josue Valle-Moralez, who was convicted of unlawful possession of a firearm. He is in U.S. Marshals custody to be prosecuted for homicide.
Members of the public are encouraged to report suspicious activity and suspected violations of immigration law to ICE at 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or online.
