Criminals Without Borders: ICE's Recent Catches

In a series of operations, U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has taken into custody several individuals who are not only in the country illegally but also have serious criminal backgrounds. Among them is Bou Khathavong, a dual citizen of Laos and Thailand, who was picked up on July 25 in Philadelphia. Khathavong's record includes a conviction for conspiring to murder a teenager with a baseball bat. These arrests are part of a broader effort targeting what ICE refers to as the "worst of the worst. " Other notable arrests include Santiago Geovany Garcia-Rosales, a 35-year-old from Guatemala, who was convicted of failing to stop and render aid in a fatal hit-and-run incident in Harris County, Texas. He was arrested by ICE Houston on July 28. The list of arrests also includes Hector Bonaparte-Contreras, a 42-year-old from Mexico, who was convicted of sexually assaulting a child under 13 years old in Chicago. He was taken into custody on July 24. Additionally, Julio Armando Gomez-Fernandez, another Mexican national, was arrested in Dallas on July 27. His convictions include possession of meth with intent to distribute and unlawful re-entry into the country. Manuel Loja, a 38-year-old from Ecuador, was also arrested by ICE in Newark on July 24. Loja's criminal history includes convictions for cruelty and neglect of children. According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), 70% of ICE arrests involve individuals with criminal convictions or pending charges. The DHS statement emphasized that these operations are prioritizing the removal of public safety threats from American communities. Critics argue that the current administration's policies have led to an increase in such arrests, with some blaming the Biden administration for allowing dangerous criminals to enter the country. However, others point out that these issues have been ongoing and require comprehensive immigration reform.