U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested 1,328 illegal alien offenders with criminal histories across Virginia and Maryland during a two-week operation conducted between August 1 and August 14.
The operation, titled “Operation Safe Community – Washington, D.C.,” targeted individuals with convictions or arrests for serious crimes including sexual battery, kidnapping, driving while intoxicated, hit-and-run, identity theft, robbery, murder, attempted murder, and rape. Almost 400 of those arrested had either been convicted or charged with crimes in the United States.
“The brave men and women of ICE are hard at work every single day getting these dangerous illegal aliens out of our country,” said DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin. He added that the Trump Administration prioritizes American citizens, aiming to “make America safe again” by removing illegal aliens from communities.
ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Acting Assistant Director Patricia Hyde emphasized the officers' effectiveness. “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,” Hyde said, noting that removing these individuals makes for much safer communities.
While much of the operation focused on the Washington, D.C. suburbs, enforcement actions were conducted throughout both states. Officers also arrested members of transnational criminal street gangs such as MS-13, 18th Street Gang, and Tren de Aragua, despite what the DHS described as “sanctuary policies” in many counties.
Notable arrests included Eygner Wilfredo Huezo-Moran, wanted for murder in Richmond, Virginia; Angel Gabriel Ortiz-Hernandez, arrested for rape and aggravated sexual battery; and German Mejia-Baires, an MS-13 gang member with convictions for driving while intoxicated and illegal re-entry. These individuals, and others with significant criminal histories, will remain in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.
This operation follows “Operation Safe Community – Atlanta” in July, where ICE officers arrested over 1,200 illegal alien offenders in Georgia, demonstrating a continued commitment to arresting and deporting illegal aliens from American communities.