WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has launched the new year with a sweeping national operation that resulted in the arrest of dozens of violent criminal illegal aliens across multiple states, including individuals convicted of homicide, rape, kidnapping, and other serious felonies. The arrests, part of the agency’s renewed enforcement push under the Trump Administration, mark a continuation of ICE’s expanded focus on removing what officials call “the worst of the worst” from American communities.
The agency reported that it has increased its manpower by 120 percent since 2025, deploying more than 12,000 additional officers and agents to assist in targeted enforcement operations. Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said the surge is enabling ICE to more aggressively locate and remove dangerous offenders. “Over the weekend, ICE arrested murderers, stalkers, rapists, and gang members,” McLaughlin said. “President Trump and Secretary Noem have unleashed ICE to get criminal illegal aliens off our streets and out of our country.”
Among those apprehended in the most recent operation were offenders with prior convictions for homicide, aggravated stalking, and sexual assault. Arrests occurred in several states, including California, Florida, Georgia, New York, and Texas, underscoring the national scope of ICE’s ongoing enforcement strategy.
ICE officials highlighted individual cases such as Jose Cano-Cruz of Georgia, convicted of homicide by vessel and aggravated stalking; Carlos Danilo Barrera, a member of the Florencia 13 gang in California convicted of second-degree murder; and Ruben Pulido-Cortes of New York, convicted of rape. Other arrestees included individuals with records of kidnapping, armed robbery, and serious assault.
Worst of the worst arrests from over the weekend include:
Jose Cano-Cruz, a criminal illegal alien from Mexico, convicted for homicide by vessel and aggravated stalking in Muscogee County, Georgia.
Waheed Allah Mohammad, a criminal illegal alien from Afghanistan convicted for attempted murder and first-degree assault – intent to cause serious injury with a weapon in Monroe County, New York.
Carlos Danilo Barrera, a criminal illegal alien from El Salvador and member of the Florencia 13 gang, convicted for second-degree murder in Los Angeles, California.
Ruben Pulido-Cortes, a criminal illegal alien from Mexico, convicted for rape in Queens, New York.
Leonel Rodriguez-Garcia, a criminal illegal alien from Mexico, convicted for kidnapping in Kern County, California.
Uriel Segovia-Leon, a criminal illegal alien from Mexico, convicted for battery resulting in serious bodily injury in Lake County, Indiana.
Duane Alando Spence, a criminal illegal alien from Jamaica, convicted for aggravated battery-great bodily harm in Miami, Florida.
Patricio Hernandez-Gomez, a criminal illegal alien from Mexico, convicted for first-degree unlawful imprisonment in Perry County, Kentucky.
Yessenia Monserrat Monje-Orozco, a criminal illegal alien from Mexico, convicted for possession of prohibited ammo, vehicle theft, and possession of a controlled substance in San Luis Obispo, California.
Thinh Troung Nguyen, a criminal illegal alien from Vietnam, convicted for armed robbery in Lexington, Oklahoma.
Esteban Reyes-Cortes, a criminal illegal alien from Mexico, convicted for battery and disorderly conduct in Tallahassee, Florida, and entering an automobile with intent to commit theft in Decatur, Georgia.
Jose Antonio Poblete-Velasquez, a criminal illegal alien from Chile, convicted for burglary in Ventura, California.
Luis Alberto Medel-Miranda, a criminal illegal alien from Mexico, convicted for driving while impaired-aggravated in Rockingham County, North Carolina.
Kevin Ruiz-Gonzalez, a criminal illegal alien from Honduras, convicted for criminal possession of a weapon in Bronx, New York.
Harvy Gomez-Alaniz, a criminal illegal alien from Nicaragua, convicted for evading arrest detention in San Antonio, Texas.
The latest arrests follow a series of operations conducted throughout 2025 aimed at removing convicted felons who reentered or remained in the United States unlawfully after serving criminal sentences. ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) division, which oversees the 287(g) partnerships and local law enforcement coordination, has described these efforts as essential to community safety and national security.
Officials emphasized that the agency’s focus remains on identifying and removing noncitizens with criminal histories, gang affiliations, or prior deportation orders. ICE said that these operations will continue at an accelerated pace throughout 2026 as part of a broader strategy to dismantle networks of repeat offenders and safeguard local communities.
ICE officials said the first major enforcement wave of 2026 demonstrates the administration’s commitment to removing violent criminal offenders and reasserting immigration law as a cornerstone of national security.
