ICE Houston Arrests 735 Criminal Illegals in May, 1,200 Violent
Federal immigration agents arrested 735 criminal illegal aliens in Houston in May, collectively holding over 1,700 convictions including violent crimes, gang memberships, and homicides.
The arrested individuals collectively held more than 1,700 criminal convictions, with approximately 1,200 involving violent crimes or serious threats to public safety, according to Breitbart News. The sweep netted murderers, rapists, child predators, arsonists, drug traffickers, and confirmed members of MS-13, Surenos 13, 18th Street, Tango Blast, and other dangerous gangs.
Gabriel Martinez, acting Field Office Director for ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations in Houston, emphasized that these numbers represent routine monthly enforcement activity rather than an exceptional case. He stressed that the data reveal the true nature of illegal immigration under previous administrations’ policies.
Martinez stated that reckless immigration policies enacted by prior administrations allowed gang members, murderers, child rapists and other violent criminal illegal aliens to flood into the country without proper vetting. The public needs to know that the aliens we’re targeting aren’t the harmless economic migrants that the mainstream media and elected officials try to portray, he noted.
The director warned that without arrest and deportation, these criminals will continue victimizing Americans. Federal officials confirmed to Breitbart News that 25 of the arrested individuals held membership in violent gangs including MS-13, Surenos 13, 18th Street, Tango Blast, Paisas, Chucos Tangos, Southwest Cholos, Brown and Proud, and La Primera.
The 735 criminal aliens had amassed 1,711 criminal convictions between them. Seventy percent of those convictions involved violent crimes posing direct threats to community safety.
Breakdown of Criminal Convictions
The criminal records of those arrested included:
- 5 homicides and 1 attempted capital murder of a police officer
- 38 sex offenses, including 13 against children
- 12 sex trafficking convictions
- 170 burglary, robbery, and theft convictions
- 224 aggravated assault, assault, and battery convictions
- 4 arson convictions
- 32 alien smuggling convictions
- 24 hit-and-run convictions
- 30 weapons offenses
- 3 kidnapping convictions
- 23 domestic violence convictions
- 8 child abuse, cruelty, or neglect convictions
- 67 resisting arrest, fleeing, and obstructing justice convictions
- 495 DWI convictions, including 10 hit-and-run DWIs, three aliens convicted of six DWIs each, two aliens convicted of five DWIs each, nine aliens convicted of four DWIs each, 47 aliens convicted of three DWIs each, and 66 aliens convicted of two DWIs each
- 4 crimes against persons convictions
- 2 gang activity convictions
- 11 drug trafficking convictions
- 15 terroristic threats convictions
- 2 deadly conduct convictions
- 4 street racing convictions, including 2 resulting in serious bodily harm
- 1 illegally transporting explosives conviction
- 48 fraud, forgery and identity theft convictions
- 22 trespassing convictions
- 161 drug possession convictions
- 2 convictions for Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act offenses
- 316 other criminal convictions, including money laundering, illegally operating gambling establishments, criminal mischief, contributing alcohol to minors, destruction of evidence, disorderly conduct, disturbing public peace, refusing to aid officers, failure to appear, unlawful assembly, witness tampering, counterfeiting, property-related crimes and various non-violent offenses
Notable Cases From May Arrests
Juan Esteban Zelaya Hernandez, a 43-year-old Honduran national and alleged Paisas gang member, had been deported four times before his latest arrest. He faced charges for homicide, illegal reentry and illegal weapons possession, and held convictions for arson, battery, criminal mischief, property damage and driving without a license. ICE arrested him May 1 and deported him to Honduras May 11.
Dinh Quy Nguyen, a 56-year-old Vietnamese national, was convicted of attempted capital murder of a police officer and burglary. ICE arrested him May 5 and he remains in custody awaiting removal to Vietnam.
Miguel Rosas Ventura, a 47-year-old Mexican national deported three times previously, held a manslaughter conviction. ICE arrested him May 27 and deported him to Mexico June 7.
Javier Moya-Tentory, a 41-year-old Mexican national deported twice before, was convicted of homicide. ICE arrested him May 26 and deported him to Mexico June 5.
Jose Olban Martinez, a 32-year-old Honduran national deported twice previously, was convicted of aggravated sexual assault of a child under 14 and illegal entry. ICE arrested him May 13 and deported him to Honduras May 20.
The Houston enforcement data underscore the ongoing public safety crisis created by lax immigration enforcement policies that allowed thousands of criminal aliens to remain in American communities despite extensive violent criminal histories.
With information from Breitbart News
