Despite facing the longest government shutdown and going without pay, agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Houston successfully apprehended over 3,500 illegal immigrants involved in criminal activities, including those charged with child predation, murder, and gang affiliation.

This extensive six-week operation spanned from October 1 to November 12 and is considered one of the largest enforcement efforts ICE has undertaken in recent times. The agency emphasized that these actions highlight their unwavering dedication to maintaining public safety, even under challenging circumstances where federal employees were not receiving paychecks.

Bret Bradford, the Director of the ICE Enforcement and Removal Operation (ERO) Houston Field Office, expressed pride in his team’s resilience. “Every member of our team recognizes the vital role ICE plays in safeguarding public safety and national security. Despite the lack of pay, they remained committed, showing up every day to protect our community from dangerous elements, including gang members, child predators, murderers, and rapists,” he stated.

The operation resulted in the capture of 3,593 criminal illegal aliens throughout Southeast Texas. Among these were 67 sex offenders, 51 child predators, 13 individuals charged with murder, 10 fugitives, and 23 gang members. The arrests included notorious gang affiliates such as members of MS-13 and Paisas.

An ICE official is seen conducting an operation in the Houston area. (ICE)

In addition to these high-profile arrests, officials noted that the operation also led to the detention of hundreds of individuals with prior convictions, including charges of driving while intoxicated, aggravated assault, weapons offenses, and burglary.

Other convictions included aggravated kidnapping, drug-related offenses, human trafficking, making terroristic threats, prostitution, bribery and illegal reentry.

Among those arrested was Brayan Josue Pineda-Ayala, a 23-year-old MS-13 gang member from Honduras who was released into the U.S. by the Biden administration in May 2024 and later allegedly committed a triple homicide in Dallas County. ICE arrested him on Oct. 7.

 ICE Houston arrested 3,593 criminal illegal aliens during the longest federal government shutdown in history. (ICE)

ICE also arrested Froilan Mejia Olveram, a 44-year-old twice-removed criminal alien and convicted rapist from Mexico, on Oct. 23. ICE said Mejia had been encountered by agents in 2023 but could not be taken into custody due to the Biden administration’s enforcement guidelines. He went on to rape and assault a woman the following month and was later convicted, according to ICE.

Other arrests included Baldomero Perez-Quezada, a 56-year-old four-time removed child predator from Mexico who was deported Oct. 31; Marco Dubon-Ayala, a 51-year-old from Mexico convicted of sexual indecency with a child; and Juan Jose Moreno-Renteria, a 40-year-old child predator from Mexico who had entered the U.S. illegally seven times.

ICE said agents also arrested 10 fugitives wanted for serious crimes in the U.S. and abroad.

Among the criminal aliens arrested were 67 sex offenders, 51 child predators, 13 murderers, 10 wanted fugitives and 23 gang members, ICE said. (ICE)

Among them was Octavio Cruz-Garcia, a five-time-removed criminal alien from Mexico wanted for homicide in Harris County, Texas.

Two Honduran brothers, Elder Antonio Cruz-Hernandez and Yony Roberto Cruz-Hernandez, were also arrested and remain in ICE custody pending repatriation to Honduras, where they are wanted for homicide.

The arrests underscore the agency’s mission to remove violent offenders and ensure those wanted for serious crimes face justice.

“As a result of those efforts, 51 dangerous child predators are no longer free to prey on our children, 10 fugitives have been apprehended and will now face justice for their alleged offenses, and thousands of other violent criminal aliens have been removed from local communities throughout Southeast Texas and will be removed from the United States,” Bradford said.