ICE ramps up arrests of convicted criminals as riots rage in blue city: 'You will not stop us'
The Department of Homeland Security announced that several convicted criminals who are in the United States illegally were arrested as part of Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in Los Angeles on Monday and Tuesday.
The ICE operations in Los Angeles triggered protests and riots in parts of the city, and President Donald Trump deployed National Guard troops to protect the federal immigration officers while they continued arrests.
"Murderers, pedophiles, and drug traffickers. These are the types of criminal illegal aliens that rioters are fighting to protect. How much longer will Governor Newsom and Mayor Karen Bass continue to prioritize these criminal illegal aliens over their own citizens?" Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement on Wednesday.
"Secretary Noem has a message to the LA rioters: you will not stop us or slow us down. ICE will continue to enforce the law and arrest criminal illegal aliens," McLaughlin added.
DHS highlighted nine arrests – all of whom the agency says are in the country illegally.
Mexican national Gerardo Antonio-Palacios had been deported before but was previously convicted of burglary and homicide. Cambodian national Mab Khleb, 53, was convicted of transporting and possession of a controlled substance, battery, and "lewd action with a child," according to DHS.
Laotian Sang Louangprasert was criminally convicted of "lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14" and "inflicting corporal injury, spouse or cohabitant."
Mexican national Antonio Benitez-Ugarte was convicted on drug trafficking charges, and Alberto Morales-Mejia, also from Mexico, was convicted for amphetamine production.
Honduran national Carlos Alberto Escobar-Flores was also arrested, and he was previously convicted of grand theft. Another Honduran national, Jose Jimenez-Alvarado, was also arrested after a prior conviction of "two counts of theft." Mexican national Jesus Romero-Retana, 52, had prior convictions of "threatening crime with intent to terrorize and battery."
Another Mexican national, Raul Teran-Guillen, was previously arrested for "human smuggling and money laundering" before his ICE arrest this week.
The Trump administration has a goal of 3,000 ICE arrests daily in hopes of fulfilling the campaign trail promise of mass deportations following millions of people being let in during the Biden administration. The ICE efforts have received scrutiny from Democrats in California and nationwide, and saying that Trump's decision to deploy the guard and conduct ICE sweeps is instigating.
"Donald Trump's government isn't protecting our communities. They're traumatizing our communities," Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a brief address on Tuesday night.
"Angelenos are trying to live their lives—going to work, caring for their families—while facing the constant threat of sudden immigration crackdowns," Mayor Karen Bass posted to X on Wednesday morning. "This fear paralyzes communities. We saw it before: kids too scared to go to school, families torn apart without warning. Let's not pretend this is about public safety. It's political retribution—plain and simple."
Fox News Digital reached out to the offices of Newsom and Bass for comment, but they did not immediately respond.
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