Federal immigration authorities say a weeklong enforcement operation in southeast Texas led to the arrests of more than 800 illegal immigrants, including convicted murderers, child predators, gang members, and fugitives.
The sweep, carried out between Aug. 17 and Aug. 23, was led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Houston field office, with assistance from multiple federal and state agencies.
ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations acting Field Office Director Gabriel Martinez said the mission was designed to enhance safety in a region heavily impacted by what he described as “years of open-border policies.”
“Transnational gang members, foreign fugitives and other violent criminal aliens took advantage of the crisis at our southern border,” Martinez said. “Many remained in the Houston area and went on to wreak havoc in our communities.”
The operation involved cooperation with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the DEA, ATF, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, Diplomatic Security Service, and the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Officials said joint operations like this one are part of President Trump’s focus on restoring law and order by removing “the worst of the worst” offenders.
Arrest Totals
In all, 822 people were arrested.
According to ICE, the group included five gang members, seven child predators, and three individuals convicted of homicide-related crimes.
Of those arrested, 330 had previously been ordered removed from the United States. Another 112 had been deported and illegally reentered the country at least once.
Child Predators
Salvadoran national William Alexander Telles Amaya, 35, was also arrested. ICE described him as a “habitual child predator,” with three prior convictions for sex crimes against minors, including aggravated sexual assault of a child.
Francisco Eduardo Bonilla, a 37-year-old Salvadoran, was arrested after a February conviction in Harris County for sexual indecency with a minor.
Francisco Eduardo Bonilla
Guatemalan national Jorge Eliseo Torres-Soto, 30, had also been convicted of sexually assaulting a child in 2024.
Jorge Eliseo Torres-Soto
Repeat Offenders
Among those taken into custody was 54-year-old Alejandro Perez Miramontes, a Mexican national who has been deported 12 times.
Alejandro Perez Miramontes
He has convictions for robbery, larceny, burglary, trespassing, and eight convictions for illegal reentry.
Additional Cases
Mexican national Manuel Ivan Castillo Estrada, 36, previously deported three times, was arrested after convictions for alien smuggling and sexual assault of a minor.
Manuel Ivan Castillo Estrada
Another, 38-year-old Carlos Vega-Ramirez, had been deported multiple times and convicted of enticement of a minor, forgery, DWI, and fleeing police.
Carlos Vega-Ramirez
Foreign Fugitive
ICE also apprehended Hemerlindo Antonio Ascencio-Merino, 53, wanted in El Salvador for aggravated homicide. Officials said he crossed into the U.S. in 2022 to evade prosecution.
Hemerlindo Antonio Ascencio-Merino
Gang Member Arrest
Cruz Leandro Martinez Leiva, 25, a member of MS-13 from El Salvador, was arrested with prior robbery and armed carjacking convictions.
Cruz Leandro Martinez Leiva
ICE said his arrest underscores the risk posed by violent gangs exploiting the southern border.
Other Dangerous Offenders
Zimbabwean national Lloyd Tinashe Hwehwe, 36, was taken into custody for repeated DWI convictions, including intoxication manslaughter in 2015.
Lloyd Tinashe Hwehwe
After being deported, he reentered the U.S. and was convicted of another DWI in 2024.
