Federal immigration authorities took more than 1,300 undocumented immigrants into custody during a targeted, two-week enforcement sweep spanning Virginia and Maryland, the Department of Homeland Security announced.
The effort, dubbed “Operation Safe Community – Washington, D.C.,” ran from August 1 through August 14. According to DHS, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers carried out the actions across both states, concentrating heavily on the suburbs surrounding the nation’s capital.
Of the 1,328 individuals arrested, agency officials stated that nearly 400 had pending criminal charges or previous convictions in the United States. DHS reported that the offenses tied to those arrested ranged from driving while intoxicated, hit-and-run, and identity theft to violent crimes including sexual battery, kidnapping, robbery, rape, and murder.
Federal officials also noted that the sweep included members of transnational gangs, specifically MS-13, the 18th Street Gang, and Tren de Aragua.
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin commended the agency’s personnel following the announcement.
“The brave men and women of ICE are hard at work every single day getting these dangerous illegal aliens out of our country. Over the course of just two weeks in Virginia and Maryland, they arrested sexual assailants, kidnappers, drunk drivers, robbers, and gang members,” Mullin said. “While sanctuary politicians in Virginia and Maryland keep putting the needs of illegal aliens over the safety of the American people, the Trump Administration will always put American citizens first. By arresting and removing illegal aliens from our communities, we will make America safe again.”
Patricia Hyde, acting assistant director of ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations, emphasized the scope of the field work involved.
“Once again, our officers are out in the streets arresting and removing criminal alien offenders from American communities – this time in the Washington, D.C. area,” Hyde stated. “Our officers are the best in the world at finding people who do not want to be located. That’s exactly what we did throughout the course of this operation. Removing these criminal alien offenders from Virginia and Maryland neighborhoods makes for much safer communities, and that is exactly what the men and women of ICE work to accomplish every day across our great nation.”
The mid-Atlantic sweep follows a similar operation conducted in Georgia last month, “Operation Safe Community – Atlanta,” which resulted in more than 1,200 arrests.
DHS highlighted several specific individuals taken into custody during the Virginia and Maryland operation:
- Eygner Wilfredo Huezo-Moran, a Salvadoran national wanted on charges of murder and use of a firearm in the commission of murder in Richmond. ICE officers and U.S. Marshals apprehended him in Chesterfield, Virginia. He was transferred to local custody to face trial, and ICE lodged an immigration detainer to pursue removal once his local proceedings conclude.
- Actionel Pierre, a Haitian national arrested in Wicomico County, Maryland, whose record includes arrests for attempted murder, assault, and weapons violations.
- Estrella Reyes-Funez, a Honduran national arrested in Harrisonburg, Virginia, with a conviction for felony hit-and-run and prior arrests for assault and battery on a family member and making threats to bomb or burn.
- German Mejia-Baires, an MS-13 gang member from El Salvador arrested in Manassas, Virginia, whose record shows convictions for DWI and illegal re-entry, alongside an arrest for felony malicious wounding.
- Mauricio Antonio Barrera-Navidad, an MS-13 member from El Salvador arrested in Hyattsville, Maryland, with a prior foreign record involving robbery, illegal firearm possession, and illicit association.
- Angel Gabriel Ortiz-Hernandez, a Guatemalan national taken into custody in Alexandria, Virginia, whose record includes arrests for rape of a mentally incapacitated victim and aggravated sexual battery.
- Rowan Andrew Brown, a Jamaican national arrested in Alexandria, Virginia, with convictions for kidnapping, identity theft, and illegal re-entry.
- Ronaldo Ronel Perez-Perez, a Guatemalan national arrested in Richmond, Virginia, with convictions for multiple DWIs, hit-and-run, and illegal re-entry, as well as an arrest for forcible sexual penetration.
- Julio Hector Carranza-Rojano, a Mexican national arrested in Manassas, Virginia, with convictions for sexual battery, DWI, and hit-and-run.
Most of those detained remain in ICE custody as federal immigration removal proceedings move forward.
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