Recent updates have emerged concerning the arrest of illegal immigrant child sex offenders by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the Houston vicinity over the past half-year. The Houston ICE Field Office has detained 214 undocumented individuals who have either been charged with or convicted of sex offenses involving minors during the Trump Administration.
This number surpasses the arrests made by the Houston Field Office throughout the entire 2024 fiscal year, when 211 illegal immigrants faced charges or convictions related to child sex offenses, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Of the 214 criminal illegal immigrants arrested, 179 had final orders of removal from an immigration judge. 141 have already been removed.
“Thanks to ICE Houston, we have 214 fewer predators roaming our streets. These are precisely the kind of depraved offenders ICE is working to remove from our nation,” said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “President Trump and Secretary Noem are determined to ensure these individuals cannot harm children in the U.S. The message for these offenders is straightforward: LEAVE NOW. If you ignore this, we will find and deport you.”
Among the criminal illegal immigrants facing charges or convictions for child sex offenses, captured by the ICE ERO Houston Field Office in the last six months are:
Gabriel Julio Velazquez Lopez, 25, illegally entered the U.S. four times since 2016. (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
Gabriel Julio Velazquez Lopez, 25, a criminal illegal immigrant from Mexico, convicted of sexual assault of a child and assault with intent to commit rape. He unlawfully entered the U.S. four times since 2016. ICE apprehended him on April 8th, and he was deported by April 10, 2025.
Carlos Alfredo Lopez Espinal, 45, was arrested by ICE on July 18, 2025. (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
Carlos Alfredo Lopez Espinal, 45, is an illegal immigrant from El Salvador, convicted of sexual indecency with a minor in March 2025. He was taken into custody by ICE on July 18, 2025.
Meliton Gonzalez, 76, was deported by ICE on June 12th, after serving time in Texas. (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
Meliton Gonzalez, a 76-year-old criminal illegal immigrant from Mexico, was convicted of child sexual assault in 2015 and sentenced to 10 years. Gonzalez has been illegally in the country since 1976. He was deported by ICE on June 12th, after serving time in Texas.
Mario Ramirez Martinez, 71, served 10 years in prison; arrested by ICE and deported Jun 2, 2025. (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
Mario Ramirez Martinez, a 71-year-old criminal illegal immigrant from Mexico, was convicted of two counts of sexual assault of a child in Hidalgo County, Texas. He served 10 years in prison; arrested by ICE and deported June 2, 2025.
