U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Houston announced the arrest of 277 undocumented individuals over a two-week period, many of whom have prior criminal convictions.
According to ICE, those arrested between April 6 and April 17 have a combined total of 751 criminal convictions and 654 prior illegal entries into the United States.
Among those taken into custody were 17 individuals convicted of crimes involving child victims, six convicted of murder, 16 drug trafficking offenders, 15 known or suspected gang members, 67 individuals convicted of robbery, two foreign fugitives wanted for murder, and 11 individuals convicted of hit-and-run offenses.
ICE officials said the arrests were made with assistance from federal, state, and local law enforcement partners.
“President Trump and Secretary Mullin know that when ICE works with local and state law enforcement partners, communities are safer, illegal aliens are arrested, and the American people are protected,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Houston acting Field Office Director Paul McBride. “Thanks to those relationships, we’ve removed hundreds of dangerous criminal illegal aliens from the local community in just two weeks and prevented an untold number of U.S. citizens from becoming victims.”
McBride also addressed ongoing discussions by the Houston City Council and Harris County Commissioners Court regarding potential policies that could limit cooperation with ICE.
“If these measures are implemented to limit that cooperation, there will be immediate impacts to public safety, national security, and border security,” McBride said. “Tragically, the worst impact will be felt in the migrant community that these same officials claim they’re protecting, because that’s where criminal illegal aliens commit the majority of their offenses.”
Among the criminal illegal aliens arrested by ICE in the Houston area over the past two weeks include:
- Haydee Mercado-Rodriguez, a 34-year-old criminal illegal alien and MS-13 gang member from El Salvador, who was convicted and sentenced to 228 years for two counts of aggravated homicide and once count each of aggravated extortion, and participation in a terrorist organization before she fled to the U.S. In 2024, the Biden administration recklessly released this foreign fugitive into the U.S. and she remained free endangering everyone in the community until ICE arrested her April 9. She remains in ICE custody at the Montgomery Processing Center pending her removal to El Salvador.
- Minh Duy Tong Nguyen, a 54-year-old criminal illegal alien and convicted murderer from Vietnam, who was convicted of murder in 1991 in Houston, and a final order of removal from over 25 years ago. Nguyen was arrested April 16 and remains in ICE custody at the Houston Contract Detention Facility pending his removal to Vietnam.
- Carlos Carmona-Palomo, a 29-year-old criminal illegal alien and foreign fugitive wanted for homicide in Mexico, who has illegally entered the U.S. three times and has been convicted twice for drug possession and once each for sexual assault, carrying a prohibited weapon, illegal reentry, and larceny. Carmona was arrested April 6 and was deported to Mexico April 21.
- Luis Hernandez Martinez, a 48-year-old twice-deported criminal illegal alien and convicted murderer from Mexico, who was convicted of murder in Upshur County, Texas, in 2003, and has also been convicted of illegal entry. Martinez was arrested April 9 and deported on April 11.
- Leobardo Nieves-Vasquez, a 35-year-old criminal illegal alien and convicted murderer from Mexico, who was convicted of intoxicated manslaughter in Angelina County, Texas, in 2011. Nieves was arrested April 7 and deported to Mexico April 9.
- Pedro Joel Martinez, a 52-year-old criminal illegal alien and convicted child rapist from El Salvador, who has illegally entered the U.S. twice and was convicted of aggravated sexual assault of a child under 14 years old in Tarrant County, Texas, in 2011. Martinez was arrested April 7 and remains in ICE custody pending his removal to El Salvador.
- Antonio Martinez Campos, a 53-year-old criminal illegal alien and convicted child predator from Mexico, who was convicted of aggravated sexual assault of a child under the age of 14 in Harris County in 2010. Campos was arrested April 9 and deported to Mexico April 11.
- Eric Eusevio Cortez, a 44-year-old criminal illegal alien and convicted child rapist from Mexico, who was convicted of aggravated sexual assault of a minor in McLennan County, Texas, in 2015, and has also been convicted five times for DWI, twice for drug possession and obstructing police, and once each for larceny; trespassing and burglary. Cortez was arrested April 6 and deported to Mexico April 8.
- Filiberto Aleman Sanchez, a 55-year-old criminal illegal alien and convicted child predator from Mexico, who was convicted of sexual contact with a child in Dallas, County, Texas, in 2015 and has also been convicted of assault and abduction. Sanchez was arrested April 14 and deported to Mexico April 17.
- Manuel Navarrete-Arellano, a 43-year-old criminal illegal alien and convicted child rapist from Mexico, who has illegally entered the U.S. six times and was convicted of sexual assault of a child in Travis County, Texas, in 2024. Navarrete was arrested April 7 and deported to Mexico April 9.
- Jose Ricardo Ortiz, a 36-year-old criminal illegal alien and convicted child rapist from Mexico, who has illegally entered the U.S. three times, and was convicted of sexual assault of a child in Medina County, Texas, in 2016, and has also been convicted of illegal reentry and illegal entry. Ortiz was arrested April 6 and deported to Mexico April 8.
- Yeslin Orellana Manchame, a 30-year-old criminal illegal alien and convicted child rapist from Honduras, who was convicted of sexual assault of a child in Harris County in 2023. Orellana was arrested April 7 and deported to Honduras April 12.
- Jose Lovo, a 44-year-old criminal illegal alien and convicted child predator from El Salvador, who was convicted of sexual assault of a child in Dallas, Texas, in 2015. Lovo was arrested April 10 and remains in ICE custody at the Montgomery Processing Center pending disposition of his immigration proceedings.
- Gerino Piedra Pompa, a 58-year-old criminal illegal alien drug trafficker and child predator from Mexico, who was convicted of sexual indecency with a child in Montgomery County, Texas, in 2011, and has also been convicted twice each for drug trafficking and drug possession, and once for resisting arrest, possession of drug trafficking equipment, and illegal possession of a firearm. Piedra was arrested April 10 and deported to Mexico April 16.
- Luis Hernan Montesdeoca-Yunga, a 28-year-old criminal illegal alien from Ecuador, who has illegally entered the U.S. twice and was convicted of sexual exploitation of a minor in Baltimore City, Maryland, in 2018. Montesdeoca was arrested April 15 and remains in ICE custody at the Montgomery Processing Center pending his removal to Ecuador.
- Jefferson Reyes Lara, a 27-year-old criminal illegal alien and convicted child predator from Honduras, who was convicted of sexual indecency with a child in Travis County, Texas, in 2022. Reyes was arrested April 10 and was deported to Honduras April 19.
- Pablo Ramirez Mata, a 48-year-old criminal illegal alien and convicted child predator from Mexico, who was convicted of online solicitation of a minor in Taylor County, Texas, in 2024. Ramirez was arrested April 10 and deported to Mexico April 16.
- Jose De Luna Perez, a 44-year-old criminal illegal alien and Paisas gang member from Mexico, who has illegally entered the U.S. 11 times and been convicted three times for DWI, five times for illegal entry, twice for resisting arrest, and once for illegal possession of firearm, damaging property, and drug possession. Perez was arrested April 11 and deported to Mexico April 16.
- Brian Rivera Santoyo, a 22-year-old criminal illegal alien from Mexico, who has illegally entered the U.S. 19 times, and was convicted of alien smuggling in October 2024. Rivera was arrested April 10 and deported to Mexico April 16.
- Heros Cantu, a 33-year-old criminal illegal alien and Tango Blast gang associate from Mexico, who has been convicted of five times for drug possession, twice for resisting arrest and larceny, and once each for assault, burglary, robbery, and vehicle theft. Cantu was arrested April 10 and deported to Mexico April 16.
- Jose Artemio Sanchez-Garcia, a 61-year-old criminal illegal alien from Mexico, who has illegally entered the U.S. eight times and has been convicted of 26 criminal offenses including 20 times for drug trafficking and drug possession-related offenses, twice each for resisting arrest and illegal reentry, and once for illegal entry and public intoxication. Sanchez was April 14 and he remains in ICE custody pending his removal to Mexico.
- Juan Gilberto Morales Mora, a 24-year-old criminal illegal alien from Mexico, who has illegally entered the U.S. 11 times and has been convicted twice each for alien smuggling, aggravated robbery and larceny, three time for drug possession, and once each for resisting arrest and hit-and-run. Morales was arrested April 15 and remains in ICE custody at the Port Isabel Detention Center pending his removal to Mexico.
- Brandon Hernandez Torres, a 23-year-old criminal illegal alien and convicted alien smuggler from Mexico, who has illegally entered the U.S. 24 times, including 22 times during the Biden administration, and was convicted of smuggling aliens into the U.S. in 2024. Torres was arrested April 14 and deported to Mexico April 17.
- Antonio Garica-Perez, a 32-year-old criminal illegal alien from Mexico, who has illegally entered the U.S. 9 times and has been convicted three times for drug possession and illegal reentry, twice for alien smuggling and illegal entry, and once for assault. Garica was arrested April 6 and deported to Mexico April 8.
- Cristian Muratalla Rodriguez, a 29-year-old criminal illegal alien and Paisas gang member from Mexico, who has illegally entered the U.S. 11 times and has been convicted of failure to stop and render aid (hit-and-run), DWI, drug possession, illegal entry and twice for illegal reentry.
Among the notable criminal offenses were:
- 17 convictions for child sex offenses
- 6 convictions for homicide-related offenses
- 67 convictions for robbery-related offenses (burglary, theft, robbery)
- 156 convictions for DWI (including 13 aliens convicted of 3 or more DWIs)
- 11 convictions for hit-and-run (failure to stop and render aid)
- 74 convictions for assault-related offenses
- 15 convictions for alien smuggling
- 14 convictions for illegal weapons/firearms offenses
- 16 convictions for drug trafficking
- 108 convictions for drug possession
- 29 convictions for resisting / evading arrest
- 16 convictions for fraud or forgery-related offenses
- 8 convictions for trespassing
- 15 gang members or associates
Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.
ICE’s Houston field office is responsible for conducting immigration enforcement in 58 counties in Southeast Texas, stretching down the Texas Gulf Coast from Beaumont to Corpus Christi and from Houston/Galveston out to Waco, Texas. To learn more about ICE’s immigration enforcement mission in Southeast Texas, follow us on X at @EROHouston.