Federal authorities announced Wednesday that more than 17,500 foreign nationals have been arrested and detained under the newly enacted mandates of the Laken Riley Act.
The figures were released by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) alongside the conclusion of “Operation Angel’s Honor,” a specific two-week enforcement blitz that resulted in over 1,000 of those arrests.
The Laken Riley Act, the first piece of legislation signed into law by President Trump, significantly expands federal detention requirements. The law mandates that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detain non-citizens accused of specific offenses, including theft, burglary, and assaulting law enforcement officers, as well as any crime resulting in death or serious bodily injury.
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The legislation is named in memory of Laken Riley, a Georgia nursing student killed by a Venezuelan national. According to DHS, the suspect in Riley’s death was a member of the Tren de Aragua gang who had been previously released into the U.S. interior before the murder occurred.
Operation Angel’s Honor
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem highlighted the conclusion of Operation Angel’s Honor, a 14-day nationwide sweep specifically targeting individuals who committed crimes covered by the new act. ICE agents arrested 1,030 individuals during this fortnight alone.
“President Trump has empowered us to arrest and remove the millions of violent criminal illegal aliens unleashed on the United States by the previous administration,” Secretary Noem said in a statement. “Now, these criminals will face justice and be removed from our country. We can never bring Laken back, but we can do everything in our power to bring these heinous criminals to justice.”
High-Profile Arrests
The DHS report detailed several arrests made during the operation, emphasizing the criminal histories of those detained. Authorities highlighted cases involving individuals from various countries, including Cuba, Colombia, India, and Mexico, with convictions ranging from drug trafficking to violent assault.
Specific arrests cited by the agency include:
- Sergio Luis Hernandez Gonzalez (Cuba): Convicted of 17 counts of larceny, alongside burglary, vehicle theft, and robbery.
- Jersson Andrey Poveda Delgado (Colombia): Convicted of aggravated assault on a police officer.
- Yorisane Lazo (Cuba): Convicted of homicide (willful kill with a weapon) and strong-arm robbery.
- Nathaniel Antoney Sterling (Jamaica): Convicted of sexual assault and charged with resisting an officer and possession of a weapon.
- Varun Datta (India): Convicted of four counts of sexual assault and driving under the influence.
The department stated these individuals are now in federal custody pending removal proceedings. The agency framed the arrests as a direct application of the new “zero-tolerance” policies for non-citizens who commit crimes on American soil.
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