2 days ago
Homeland Security releases details of arrested illegal immigrants and what they're convicted of amid US-wide protests
An illegal immigrant convicted of lewd acts with a child has been revealed as one of the dozens of people customs agents arrested during immigration raids this week.
The Department of Homeland Security released the details of what it described as "violent criminal illegal aliens" who were detained during an operation by officers from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency on Monday and Tuesday.
One of the illegal immigrants arrested was named as Sang Louangprasert, 66, whose criminal history includes "lewd or lascivious acts" with a child under 14 in the Californian city of Fresno and inflicting corporal injury on a spouse or cohabitant in Santa Barbara.
While Mab Khleb, 53, from Cambodia was also convicted of a lewd act with a child, transport and possession of a controlled substance and battery.
The DHS also named Alberto Morales-Mejia, an illegal immigrant from Mexico, who has been convicted of manufacturing amphetamine.
He has also been previously arrested for document fraud and possession of a weapon.
Gerard Antonion-Palacios, who had once been deported to Mexico prior to his arrest by agents, was detained this week for previous convictions of homicide and burglary.
The department also shared a photo of Jesus Romero-Retana, 52, from Mexico, whose prior convictions include threatening crime with intent to terrorise and battery.
The DHS vowed to continue its operation amid widespread anti-deportation protests that has spread to New York, Houston, Seattle, Chicago, Boston and Washington.
"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," a Homeland Security post on X read.
But its operations have been criticised, with Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass demanding an end to the raids which has led to violent riots in the city's downtown area.
Joined by 30 mayors of surrounding cities, Mayor Bass said immigrants are part of the community, and in some cases, are the "majority" of the population.
"The individuals that are here with me today are all leaders in their area and we all stand in support and solidarity and call for the raids to end," she said on Wednesday.
Earlier, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced an illegal immigrant from Mexico had been arrested and charged with attempted murder.
It is alleged Emiliano Garduno-Galvez threw a Molotov cocktail during an LA riot, "threatening the lives of federal law enforcement officers", the DHS said.
Protests during the day have largely been peaceful, as hundreds of National Guards deployed by US President Donald Trump protect federal buildings and activities.
But as the day draws on and nighttime arrives, tensions boil over.
Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez dismissed the violent nature of the riots and blamed disruptive teenagers as the reason behind the chaos.
"It is 100 per cent carrying water for the opposition to participate in this collective delusion that Dems for some reason need to answer for every teen who throws a rock rather than hold the Trump admin accountable for intentionally creating chaos and breaking the law to stoke violence. They are in charge," she wrote on social media.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday (local time), Mayor Bass dismissed suggestion of media reports that the riots were widespread.
"The portrayal is that all of our cities are in chaos. Rioting is happening everywhere, and it is a lie. The curfew we put in place yesterday is about six square miles of a city that is 500 square miles," she said, adding "minor" arrests were made night one of curfew.
The curfew will continue on Wednesday, LAPD confirmed.
Mayor Bass is hoping to speak to President Trump as soon as possible to help him "understand the significance of what is happening here" but is yet to make contact.
Meanwhile, 700 US Marines deployed to assist the 4,000 National Guards sent to Los Angeles are on standby on the outskirts of Los Angeles awaiting orders.
Marines have been training on how to assist the National Guard to detain violent rioters before they hand them onto police officers, ahead of a sixth day of protests.
US Army Major General Scott Sherman, who is commanding the troops, said they do not have authority to arrest people but had the power to temporarily detain individuals.
The Marines will move to the city "soon," but not on Wednesday, Mayor General Sherman said. They will not carry live ammunition in their rifles, he added.
