Federal immigration authorities have apprehended 422 undocumented immigrants during a weeklong operation in Houston.
Why It Matters
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President Donald Trump won the 2024 election with immigration at the center of his policy agenda. He promised to deport millions of undocumented immigrants as part of an aggressive mass deportation policy.
What To Know
According to Fox News, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested an immigrant wanted for alleged murder in Colombia.
“He has a homicide conviction in Colombia and was sentenced to 21 years there,” ICE Houston Director Bret Bradford said. “He entered the United States illegally in February of 2024, was given a court date for an immigration hearing and released. He did not show up for that court date, so in March of this year, he was ordered removed by an immigration judge here in the United States.
According to Fox’s report, out of the 422 arrests, 262 had criminal convictions, 34 had ongoing charges, 126 were cited for other immigration infractions, and 229 had final orders of removal.
As part of the operation, authorities detained a 40-year-old Mexican national who had been deported twice before and attempted to flee by automobile and later on foot. According to ICE, the individual, Hector Castillo-Garcia, had previously been convicted in the United States on several counts, including arson, assault with a deadly weapon, and DUI, while existing in the country illegally.
ICE officials in Houston apprehended Junior Alejandro Chan Lopez, a 29-year-old Honduran national. According to the agency, he had previously been convicted of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in Harris County, Texas.
ICE has boosted efforts to remove individuals with final deportation orders by moving them to designated hubs for expedited return to their home nations. According to Fox News, the “hub-and-spoke” technology, which is intended to simplify the removal process, was only recently deployed.
What Happens Next
As part of fulfilling the president’s campaign promises, the Trump administration is likely to increase arrests and deportations.
