Latest news with #Saenz
New York Post
21-07-2025
- New York Post
Inside ICE operations in New Jersey — as agents nab two child predators
UNION CITY, New Jersey — ICE agents in New Jersey swept up a pair of migrants with convictions for alarming child-sex crimes — taking them off the streets Monday as part of what the agency says is an effort to target the 'worst of the worst.' Nicolosa Garcia, 42, and Umana Saez, 36, were arrested following separate stakeouts, which required hours of meticulous surveillance by feds with Homeland Security Investigations, which is part of ICE. Garcia — a Mexican national convicted of endangering the welfare of a child in New Jersey — and Saenz — a Salvadorian and registered sex offender convicted of exploiting a child in the Garden State — were both nabbed without incident. 3 Nicolosa Garcia, 42, a Mexican national with a conviction for endangering the welfare of a child, was arrested Monday. Stefan Jeremiah for NY Post 'We're criminal investigators, and what we do is we're going to follow the trail until we don't have any further leads,' said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Newark Assistant Special Agent in Charge John Varrone, who led the raids. 'It's a massive win for the community in which they were convicted of crimes, heinous crimes, within that community,' Varrone told The Post. 'They're going to be removed today. They're going to be put to deportation proceedings, and they're going to be sent home.' ICE operations have sparked backlash from some critics, who accuse the agency of casting too wide a net as agents scramble to meet a quota of arresting 3,000 migrants per day nationwide. However, on Monday the team of HSI agents was focused on catching two high priority convicted criminals. The operations started just after 5 a.m., with ICE agents gathering in a dingy stretch of Newark to go over the day's game plans before the sun even rose. They set out to Garcia's Union City home in several inconspicuous cars and parked up and down the block, hopeful they could head him off as he left early for a construction job. 3 Umana Saez, 36, a Salvadorian and registered sex offender convicted of exploiting a child, was arrested Monday. Stefan Jeremiah for NY Post After several hours of watching and waiting there was no sign of Garcia, but the agents decided to keep watching instead of attempt a door knock. Authorities said illegal migrants have been on high-alert since President Trump came into office and launched a massive nationwide crackdown. After consulting neighbors, the agents determined that Saenz's family owned the home but did not live there, and he was quickly tracked down to a Newark warehouse where he worked. 3 Both illegal immigrants were arrested after arduous stakeouts resulting from meticulous investigations. Stefan Jeremiah for NY Post The agents rushed over and spoke with the manager there, and Saenz was taken from the warehouse in cuffs without a fight. And back in Union City, Garcia finally left his house. He was quickly intercepted bundled off by waiting federal agents. The slow and meticulous tactics that eventually won the day Monday are typical of many of the operations HSI typically carries out, Varrone explained. 'Patience and persistence stood strong today. I think that it proved tremendous value by getting two child predators off the street who are also in this country illegally,' Varrone said. 'Folks who are in this country illegally, they don't want to be found. They don't want to be caught,' he added. 'Sometimes addresses turn up as dead ends or locations aren't what they seem. But in this instance, we followed up on several of the leads, and we were able successfully conduct the arrest.' 'We try to do everything with safety in mind.'
New York Post
02-07-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
MS-13 leader sentenced to 68 years in federal case involving 8 Long Island murders
The leader of an MS-13 clique in New York City's suburbs was sentenced Wednesday to 68 years in prison in a federal racketeering case involving eight Long Island murders, including the 2016 killings of two high school girls that focused the nation's attention on the violent Central American street gang. Alexi Saenz pleaded guilty last year for his role in ordering and approving the killings as well as other crimes during a rash of bloody violence that prompted President Donald Trump to make several visits to Long Island and call for the death penalty for Saenz and other gang members during his first term in the White House. Saenz's lawyers sought a sentence of 45 years behind bars, but prosecutors wanted the judge to impose the maximum sentence of 70 years. Prosecutors, who previously withdrew their intent to seek the death penalty, said Saenz deserves to live out his days in prison for his 'senseless' and 'sadistic' crimes. 5 AP Judge Gary Brown, in handing down the sentence, said the reduction of two years from the maximum recognized Saenz's role in pleading guilty and avoiding a painful and costly trial, as well as his efforts in convincing his younger brother, the gang's second-in-command, to do the same. 'This small adjustment is more than what was afforded to his victims,' the judge said, 'none of whom will ever enjoy another day on this planet.' Saenz, addressing the court, asked for forgiveness from God, his family and the relatives of the victims. 'I know my apology will not repair the harm and the pain that I have caused,' the now 30-year-old said in Spanish through a translator. 'I know many of you do not accept my apology, but I want to say from the bottom of my heart that these words are sincere.' 5 Mother of Nisa Mickens an alleged victim of High-ranking MS-13 gang member Alexi Saenz, speaks outside of Central Islip Federal Court after a hearing and possible plea deal for her daughters alleged killer. Dennis A. Clark Saenz's lawyers said he suffers from intellectual disabilities and lasting trauma from a difficult upbringing in his native El Salvador that allowed him to be recruited and unwittingly 'groomed' into MS-13. But Saenz said he did not want to use his 'hard life' as an excuse. 'I do not recognize the person who committed these crimes,' he said in court. Prosecutor Paul Scotti rejected Saenz's comments as 'self-serving' and 'not sincere.' He argued that Saenz remains committed to MS-13, citing his 'extensive disciplinary record' while in custody at a federal lockup in New York City. 5 George Johnson, whose son, Michael, was viciously beaten by MS-13 gangsters, speaks outside of Federal Court in Central Islip, NY. Dennis A. Clark Prosecutors have cited photos of him posing with other gang members behind bars and displaying gang signs and gang paraphernalia. They also said Saenz was disciplined for assaulting other inmates, refusing staff orders and possessing sharpened metal shanks, cellphones and other contraband. 'Actions speak, louder than words,' Scotti said in court. Saenz, also known as 'Blasty' and 'Big Homie,' was the leader of an MS-13 clique operating in Brentwood and Central Islip known as Sailors Locos Salvatruchas Westside. 5 Prosecutors have cited photos of him posing with other gang members behind bars and displaying gang signs and gang paraphernalia. Calabro, Peter B. (NY) (FBI) He admitted last July that he'd authorized the eight killings and three other attempted killings of perceived rivals and others who had disrespected or feuded with the clique. Among the killings were those of Kayla Cuevas, 16, and Nisa Mickens, 15, lifelong friends and classmates at Brentwood High School who were slain with a machete and a baseball bat. Authorities said there had been a dispute weeks earlier between one of the girls and gang members. Other victims included Javier Castillo, 15, of Central Islip, who was befriended by gang members only to be cut down with a machete in an isolated marsh. 5 Mother of High-ranking MS-13 gang member Alexi Saenz, leaves court after a hearing and possible plea deal for her son. Dennis A. Clark Another victim, Oscar Acosta, 19, was found dead in a wooded area near railroad tracks nearly five months after he left his Brentwood home to play soccer. Saenz also admitted to arson, firearms offenses and drug trafficking — the proceeds of which went toward buying firearms, more drugs and providing contributions to the wider MS-13 gang. MS-13, or Mara Salvatrucha, is a transnational criminal organization believed to have been founded as a neighborhood street gang in Los Angeles in the mid-1980s by people fleeing civil war in El Salvador.
02-07-2025
- Politics
MS-13 leader to be sentenced in racketeering case involving 8 murders
CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. -- The leader of an MS-13 clique in the suburbs of New York City faces sentencing Wednesday in a federal racketeering case involving eight murders, including the 2016 killings of two high school girls that focused the nation's attention on the violent Central American street gang. Alexi Saenz pleaded guilty last year for his role in ordering and approving the killings as well as other crimes during a rash of bloody violence that prompted President Donald Trump to make several visits to Long Island and call for the death penalty for Saenz and other gang members during his first term in the White House. Saenz's lawyers are seeking a sentence of 45 years behind bars, but prosecutors want the judge to impose the maximum sentence of 70 years. Prosecutors, who previously withdrew their intent to seek the death penalty, say Saenz deserves to live out his days in prison for his 'senseless' and 'sadistic' crimes. 'The eight victims who lost their lives did nothing to deserve what the MS-13 did to them,' they wrote in legal filings ahead of Wednesday's hearing. 'The defendant and the others killed them in service of the gang without remorse or any regard for them as human beings.' But Saenz's lawyers have argued for leniency, saying in their own legal filings that the now-30-year-old is remorseful and 'on a journey of redemption' while incarcerated. "With the passage of time and much reflection, it is hard for Mr. Saenz to reconcile the person he is today with the person he was when he committed the crimes," their sentencing memo reads. 'He is profoundly sorry, and although he knows the families may not accept his apology, it is sincere, and he accepts full responsibility for his participation in these crimes.' Saenz's lawyers also say he suffers from intellectual disabilities and lasting trauma from an abusive father and difficult upbringing in El Salvador. They say Saenz was recruited and unwittingly 'groomed' into MS-13 because he was an 'easily influenced' and 'gullible' high school student on Long Island. Prosecutors, however, counter that Saenz has remained 'firmly entrenched' in MS-13 while in a federal lockup in Brooklyn for the past eight years. They cited photos of him posing with other gang members behind bars and displaying gang signs and gang paraphernalia. They also say Saenz has been disciplined for assaulting other inmates, refusing staff orders and possessing sharpened metal shanks, cellphones and other contraband. 'Indeed, the same pattern of violence and mayhem that has marked his life on the street has not waned with the passage of time,' prosecutors wrote. Saenz, also known as 'Blasty' and 'Big Homie,' was the leader of an MS-13 clique operating in Brentwood and Central Islip known as Sailors Locos Salvatruchas Westside. He admitted last July that he'd authorized the eight killings and three other attempted killings of perceived rivals and others that had disrespected or feuded with the clique. Saenz also admitted to arson, firearms offenses and drug trafficking — the proceeds of which went toward buying firearms, more drugs and providing contributions to the wider MS-13 gang. Among the killings Saenz oversaw were the deaths of Kayla Cuevas, 16, and Nisa Mickens, 15, lifelong friends and classmates at Brentwood High School who were slain with a machete and a baseball bat. Other victims included Javier Castillo, 15, of Central Islip, who was befriended by gang members only to be cut down with a machete in an isolated marsh. Another victim, Oscar Acosta, 19, was found dead in a wooded area near railroad tracks nearly five months after he left his Brentwood home to play soccer. MS-13, or Mara Salvatrucha, is a transnational criminal organization believed to have been founded as a neighborhood street gang in Los Angeles in the mid-1980s by people fleeing civil war in El Salvador.
Winnipeg Free Press
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
MS-13 leader to be sentenced in racketeering case involving 8 murders
CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. (AP) — The leader of an MS-13 clique in the suburbs of New York City faces sentencing Wednesday in a federal racketeering case involving eight murders, including the 2016 killings of two high school girls that focused the nation's attention on the violent Central American street gang. Alexi Saenz pleaded guilty last year for his role in ordering and approving the killings as well as other crimes during a rash of bloody violence that prompted President Donald Trump to make several visits to Long Island and call for the death penalty for Saenz and other gang members during his first term in the White House. Saenz's lawyers are seeking a sentence of 45 years behind bars, but prosecutors want the judge to impose the maximum sentence of 70 years. Prosecutors, who previously withdrew their intent to seek the death penalty, say Saenz deserves to live out his days in prison for his 'senseless' and 'sadistic' crimes. 'The eight victims who lost their lives did nothing to deserve what the MS-13 did to them,' they wrote in legal filings ahead of Wednesday's hearing. 'The defendant and the others killed them in service of the gang without remorse or any regard for them as human beings.' But Saenz's lawyers have argued for leniency, saying in their own legal filings that the now-30-year-old is remorseful and 'on a journey of redemption' while incarcerated. 'With the passage of time and much reflection, it is hard for Mr. Saenz to reconcile the person he is today with the person he was when he committed the crimes,' their sentencing memo reads. 'He is profoundly sorry, and although he knows the families may not accept his apology, it is sincere, and he accepts full responsibility for his participation in these crimes.' Saenz's lawyers also say he suffers from intellectual disabilities and lasting trauma from an abusive father and difficult upbringing in El Salvador. They say Saenz was recruited and unwittingly 'groomed' into MS-13 because he was an 'easily influenced' and 'gullible' high school student on Long Island. Prosecutors, however, counter that Saenz has remained 'firmly entrenched' in MS-13 while in a federal lockup in Brooklyn for the past eight years. They cited photos of him posing with other gang members behind bars and displaying gang signs and gang paraphernalia. They also say Saenz has been disciplined for assaulting other inmates, refusing staff orders and possessing sharpened metal shanks, cellphones and other contraband. 'Indeed, the same pattern of violence and mayhem that has marked his life on the street has not waned with the passage of time,' prosecutors wrote. Saenz, also known as 'Blasty' and 'Big Homie,' was the leader of an MS-13 clique operating in Brentwood and Central Islip known as Sailors Locos Salvatruchas Westside. He admitted last July that he'd authorized the eight killings and three other attempted killings of perceived rivals and others that had disrespected or feuded with the clique. Saenz also admitted to arson, firearms offenses and drug trafficking — the proceeds of which went toward buying firearms, more drugs and providing contributions to the wider MS-13 gang. Among the killings Saenz oversaw were the deaths of Kayla Cuevas, 16, and Nisa Mickens, 15, lifelong friends and classmates at Brentwood High School who were slain with a machete and a baseball bat. Other victims included Javier Castillo, 15, of Central Islip, who was befriended by gang members only to be cut down with a machete in an isolated marsh. Another victim, Oscar Acosta, 19, was found dead in a wooded area near railroad tracks nearly five months after he left his Brentwood home to play soccer. MS-13, or Mara Salvatrucha, is a transnational criminal organization believed to have been founded as a neighborhood street gang in Los Angeles in the mid-1980s by people fleeing civil war in El Salvador. ___ Follow Philip Marcelo at
Miami Herald
26-06-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Census Data Shows Where US White Population Is in Decline
New data released by the United States Census Bureau Thursday showed that the country's Asian population grew the fastest in the past year, while the white population became the racial group to decline. The latest population estimates, through July 2024, showed a shift in demographics across the U.S., with a 4.4 percent growth in the Asian population compared to a 0.1 percent decline among the white population. "The major implication is the major change that is taking place in the U.S. population with respect to its race and ethnic structure," Rogelio Saenz, a professor in the department of sociology and demography at the University of Texas in San Antonio, told Newsweek. "The Census Bureau has projected that in 2044 the nation would be majority minority, or more non-white than white in the in the population, and I think that that these patterns are well afoot. We're getting closer to that reality." The Census Bureau data also highlights an aging population overall, along with fewer children and young people, at a time when there are concerns around a shrinking U.S.-born workforce and mass deportations of illegal immigrants, as well as broader concerns across much of the West about declining birthrates. What To Know The yearly population estimates, which are taken on July 1 of each year, showed a shifting demographics balance across the country. While the white population maintains the largest share overall, it was also the singular declining racial group - a trend that has been identified for several years. The 2020 Census was the first time in U.S. history that the white-alone population declined, going from 223.6 million in 2010 to 204.3 million a decade later. The nine states that saw drops in their white populations were Alaska, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oregon, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Vermont. The Hispanic or Latino population remains the second-largest racial group in the U.S., totaling 68 million in mid-2024, having grown by nearly 3 percent. Saenz said that could decline in the coming year. "That's been the major worry I think in terms of the mass deportations," Saenz said. "The impact that that's going to have on already a nation that is aging and particularly with the white population and the workforce itself, aging as well, who's going to do those jobs?" Research in October by the non-partisan National Foundation for American Policy found the majority of the domestic labor market's growth came from immigrants over the past five years, while many states had continued to see their immigrant populations grow, including Texas, Florida, California and New York. Other data points highlighted by the Census Bureau included the U.S.' aging population, with the 65-plus group growing from 12.4 percent of the national population 20 years ago to 18 percent last year. The share of children, defined as those under 18, dropped from 25 percent to 21.5 percent across the same period. The number of states where older adults outnumbered children rose from three in 2020 – Florida, Maine, and Vermont – to 11 in 2024, with Delaware, Hawaii, Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and West Virginia joining them. Lauren Bowers, chief of the Census Bureau's Population Estimates Branch, in a press release: "Children still outnumber older adults in the United States, despite a decline in births this decade. However, the gap is narrowing as baby boomers continue to age into their retirement years. In fact, the number of states and counties where older adults outnumber children is on the rise, especially in sparsely populated areas." The U.S. Census Bureau publishes data on a regular basis, with the next update due in December. Related Articles Here's Why Tech Enthusiasts Are Embracing 'Dumb' Phones and Digital DetoxesFlorida's Population Makes Major ShiftMap Reveals Fastest-Growing Cities Across USScientists Reveal Alarming Climate Future Awaiting Gen Z: 'Unprecedented Exposure' 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
