Staff Report
HOUSTON — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), in collaboration with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, arrested 646 undocumented immigrants — including 543 criminal offenders and seven documented gang members — during a targeted enforcement operation conducted from February 23 to March 2 in the Houston area.
The operation aimed to enhance public safety, strengthen national security, and reinforce border protection.
As part of the operation, ICE and its partners executed 71 criminal arrest warrants and detained 543 undocumented individuals charged with or convicted of various criminal offenses while unlawfully residing in the United States. These included:
140 criminal offenders charged with or convicted of aggravated felonies or violent crimes, such as homicide, aggravated assault, or domestic violence.
34 criminal offenders charged with or convicted of sex crimes or child sex offenses, including aggravated sexual assault of a minor, possession of child pornography, or rape.
38 criminal offenders convicted of firearms-related offenses, such as unlawful possession of a firearm, alien in possession of a firearm, and aggravated assault with a firearm.
52 criminal offenders charged with or convicted of drug-related crimes, including drug trafficking or possession of controlled substances.
51 criminal offenders charged with or convicted of property crimes, such as burglary or theft.
93 criminal offenders charged with or convicted of driving while intoxicated (DWI).
Bret Bradford, Director of ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations in Houston, emphasized the seriousness of the situation.
“In recent years, some of the world’s most dangerous fugitives, transnational gang members, and criminal offenders have exploited the crisis at our southern border to unlawfully enter the United States,” Bradford stated.
“Many of these individuals have committed violent crimes after entering the country, spreading fear among law-abiding residents. Driven by our commitment to public safety and the rule of law, ICE — alongside our partners in Southeast Texas — has united to remove these dangerous criminals from our communities and restore order.”
ICE Homeland Security Investigations Houston Special Agent in Charge Chad Plantz praised the joint effort, highlighting the operation’s success.
“In just one week, working with our federal, state, and local partners, ICE special agents executed 71 criminal arrest warrants and made 554 administrative arrests.
These included human smugglers, gang members, human traffickers, child sex offenders, drug traffickers, and weapons traffickers,” Plantz said. “These collective actions have made our communities safer and bolstered both national and border security.
We have sent a clear message to transnational criminal organizations: the Texas Gulf Coast law enforcement community stands united and will not stop until we eliminate these criminal elements from the country.”
The operation involved multiple agencies, including U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), the Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), the U.S. Marshals Service, and several state and local law enforcement partners.
Source: ICE
