U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) informed Newsmax exclusively on Wednesday of the latest arrests involving illegal migrants with pending criminal charges or prior convictions in the U.S.
According to ICE, agents apprehended multiple criminal illegal aliens convicted of serious offenses, including child molestation, sexual assault of a child, attempted rape, and drug trafficking.
Officials said the arrests highlight the agency’s focus on removing dangerous individuals from communities.
"Yesterday, the heroic men and women of ICE arrested child predators, sex criminals, drug traffickers and other despicable criminals," Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said in an email to Newsmax.
"These monsters have no place in this country. Under President Trump, if you come to our country illegally and break our laws, we will find you and arrest you. The safety of the American people comes first."
Among those arrested was Gabriel Garcia-Tapia, a Mexican national convicted of second-degree child molestation and incest in Washington.
Also taken into custody was Jose Ordaz-Sanchez, convicted of aggravated sexual assault of a child in Texas, and Hugo Rene Monroy-Giron, convicted of attempted rape in Virginia.
ICE also arrested Francisco Torres-Angulo, convicted of trafficking large quantities of methamphetamine, and Kristian Naveda-Cabrera, a Venezuelan national convicted of illegal firearm possession in New York.
Officials emphasized that nearly 70% of illegal aliens arrested under the Trump administration have either prior convictions or pending criminal charges — a statistic the administration says underscores its focus on targeting threats to public safety.
The arrests come amid a broader nationwide crackdown on illegal immigration and transnational crime.
Federal data and previous Department of Homeland Security releases show a sharp increase in ICE enforcement actions since Trump returned to office, with tens of thousands of arrests made in the early months of the administration.
Supporters of the policy argue that prioritizing the removal of criminal illegal aliens is essential to restoring law and order after years of what they describe as lax enforcement.
Critics, however, have raised concerns about the scope of ICE operations and broader immigration enforcement practices.
Still, administration officials maintain that targeting violent offenders and repeat criminals remains a top priority.
ICE officials said operations like these will continue nationwide as part of the administration's effort to protect American communities and deter illegal immigration.
"The safety of the American people comes FIRST," Bis said.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.