'Worst of the worst’ arrested in nationwide criminal illegal-alien crackdown: DHS

ICE is focused on the worst of the worst, acting ICE director explains

Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons discusses efforts to stop illegal immigration on 'The Ingraham Angle.'

The Department of Homeland Security released a statement Tuesday highlighting some of the "worst of the worst" offenders who have been arrested in the agency’s nationwide crackdown on criminal illegal aliens.

According to the statement, 70% of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s arrests have been of illegal aliens convicted or charged with crimes. This comes as the agency is facing intense criticism for its enforcement of immigration laws and officers are dealing with an 830% increase in assaults.

Some Democrats have accused ICE of targeting innocent, everyday immigrants. In the midst of anti-ICE riots in Los Angeles in June, Rep. Delia Ramirez, D-Ill., accused President Donald Trump and the administration of targeting anyone they consider "undesirable." She also pushed a theory that the president will target U.S. citizens the same way he has deported criminal migrants.

"Trump, Homan, Miller and this whole regime has waged a campaign of terror against our neighbors, against our families, our loved ones, as they advance their fascist agenda and try to cast immigrants as a public enemy," Ramirez said.

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President Donald Trump is seen with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem during their July 1, 2025 visit to "Alligator Alcatraz," the controversial migrant detention center in Florida's Everglades.  (ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)

While the agency has said it will not back down from arresting any immigrants who are in the country illegally, the new DHS statement says that the vast majority of those arrested thus far have criminal charges or convictions. 

The illegals highlighted in the DHS statement include criminals charged with hit-and-run, aggravated assault, felony menacing, grand theft and drug possession.

Olinda Micaela Gonzalez-Ortiz, a 21-year-old illegal alien from Guatemala, was arrested by ICE Baltimore and has a criminal history, including a conviction for hit-and-run in Salisbury, Maryland. 

Another, Federico Fong-Nunez, a 53-year-old Mexican illegal arrested by ICE Denver in Boulder, has 21 criminal convictions, including burglary, aggravated assault, and felony menacing.

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From hit-and-run to aggravated assault and burglary, these five illegal immigrants—arrested in cities ranging from Boulder to Houston—are among the "worst of the worst" criminal offenders, according to DHS. (Christian Chavez/AP Photo)

Jhon Jervis Chavez-De La Rosa, a 21-year-old illegal immigrant from Venezuela, has a criminal history including a conviction of assault causing bodily injury. He was arrested by ICE in Houston.

Two others, Luis Alberto Leonardo Cortes-Rivera, a 34-year-old from from Mexico, and Rureiro Falkao, a 46-year-old illegal from Honduras, were arrested by ICE in Los Angeles and Oklahoma City, respectively. Cortes-Rivera has a criminal history that includes nine criminal convictions, including grand theft, burglary, and tampering with a vehicle. Falkao’s criminal background includes conviction for possession of methamphetamine.

ICE has also arrested scores of illegal immigrants either charged with or convicted of child sex offenses.

In June, ICE arrested 1,361 illegal immigrants in the Houston area alone, including individuals previously convicted of hijacking an airplane, homicide, sexual assault and more. Of those arrested, 32 were previously convicted of child sex offenses, nine for homicide-related offenses, and 16 believed to be gang or drug cartel members. One person arrested by ICE was convicted of hijacking an airplane headed to Key West, Florida, from Cuba.

ILLEGAL ALIEN WHO RAPED, IMPREGNATED HIS OWN DAUGHTER AT GOVERNMENT-RUN SHELTER LEARNS PRISON SENTENCE

ICE agents in Houston arrest and deport illegal immigrants with violent criminal histories as part of a broader DHS initiative praised by Secretary Noem and President Trump. (ICE Houston)

An ICE Homeland Security Investigations probe in Maryland led to the sentencing of Mark Rice, 38, to 30 years in federal prison and a lifetime of supervised release for having "used his position of authority" to sexually abuse a 2-year-old and produce and distribute child sex abuse material online.

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In the Tuesday statement, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin commended President Donald Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem for having "unleashed ICE to target the worst of the worst."

"Our brave law enforcement is facing an 830% increase in assaults against them and yet they continue to arrest violent criminals and drug traffickers every single day," said McLaughlin. "We will not allow sanctuary politicians, activist hacks, or rioters stand in our way of protecting the American people. Our message is clear: criminal illegal aliens are not welcome in the United States."  

Fox News Digital reached out to Ramirez’s office for comment but did not immediately receive a response. 

Fox News Digital's Adam Sabes and Brooke Taylor contributed to this report.

Peter Pinedo is a politics writer for Fox News Digital.