Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested 206 illegal immigrants in New York City and surrounding areas during a major week-long operation targeting individuals with criminal records and gang affiliations, the New York Post reports. Of those detained, 121 had prior convictions or pending charges for serious crimes such as murder, assault, arson, sexual offenses against minors, and various drug and firearm violations.
Among those arrested was Edimar Colmenares Mendoza, allegedly linked to the violent Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. She was apprehended in the Bronx at a location previously raided by the NYPD for gang activity. Other notable arrests included members of gangs like MS-13, Sureños, and 18th Street, as well as individuals with convictions for crimes such as manslaughter, rape, and drug trafficking.
ICE officials stated that some of those arrested had previously been released because local authorities did not honor federal immigration detainers, a result of New York City’s sanctuary city policies. These policies limit NYPD cooperation with ICE unless a judge issues a criminal detainer.
The operation extended beyond NYC to Long Island and the Lower Hudson Valley. ICE leaders emphasized that the focus was on removing the most dangerous offenders from communities.
Residents in affected neighborhoods expressed relief, particularly regarding the removal of individuals associated with violent gangs. Some said “good riddance” and others shared the enormous relief ICE gave them noting that children and elderly people were living in the same places as some of the alleged violent gang members.
“This building might not be much to look at, but there are good families living here with children who go to school every day and play in the hallways. We don’t need people coming from the outside and want to play by their own rules.”,Cataline Gonzalez, 42, said, noting that she was ‘
“happy to be rid of” Edimar Alejandra Colmenares Mendoza.
ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations New York City Acting Field Office Director Judith Almodovar said, “The success of this enhanced operation highlights the resolve of ICE and our federal partners in keeping our country safe from violent criminal aliens.”
This enforcement action follows other recent ICE operations in the region, which have resulted in the detention of over 150 criminal migrants in the past few months. According to The Post, “The majority of the aliens arrested have egregious criminal histories to include manslaughter, rape, assault, drug trafficking and sex assault against minors.”
We’ll done, ICE. Keep up the good work!
Thank you ICE! Excellent work.
Keep up the good work ICE get rid of them all.
I hope there is NOT a lot of paper work affiliated with the arrest of all these individuals? Please say that “All have been determined to have entered the country illegally and are all to be sent back to the countries for which they came from!
Thank You, A Tax-Paying Citizen, Born, Raised, Worked, Payed All Taxes and Now Retired in The United States Of America.
How come nothing comes up on Mendezwhen you google her? Is that her real name?