Immigration officers took more than 700 dangerous criminals off the streets in May in the Houston area, and their arrests highlight that they aren’t simply “harmless economic migrants” as the media and politicians like to portray, officials said.
Those arrested had a combined 1,700 criminal convictions, and 70% were for violent crimes or offenses, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
ICE Houston arrested 735 criminal illegal immigrants during the agency’s May enforcement effort. Of those, 625 individuals had been convicted of a crime that involved killing, injuring, or otherwise endangering innocent residents who live in southeast Texas.
The group included gang members, murderers, child predators, rapists, arsonists, drug traffickers, and foreign fugitives.
“In total, approximately 1,182 (70%) of the criminal convictions were for violent crimes or offenses that endangered public safety, and many of the other criminal convictions harmed American property interests,” ICE Houston officials shared in a statement.
In addition, 25 people arrested have affiliations with transnational organized crime and prison gangs, including MS-13, Surenos 13, 18th Street, Tango Blast, Paisas, Chucos Tangos, Southwest Cholos, Brown and Proud and La Primera.
ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations acting Field Office Director Gabriel Martinez said the data doesn’t necessarily stand out from any other month.
Instead, it provides a snapshot of the violent offenders who are walking free in area communities and were not deported under previous administrations, Martinez said.
“…This is a snapshot of who we’re arresting every single month, as a result of the reckless immigration policies enacted by prior administrations that allowed gang members, murderers, child rapists and other violent criminal illegal aliens to flood into the country unvetted,” Martinez said.
ICE officials said the illegal immigrants have committed a laundry list of crimes, including five homicides and one attempted capital murder of a police officer.
The agency released the names and mugshots of more than a dozen “worst of the worst” arrested during this latest roundup.
Several have of them illegally entered the country multiple times and have arrests and convictions for indecency with a child with sexual contact, aggravated battery, kidnapping, burglary, domestic violence, drug trafficking, and repeat DWI offenses.
Some have already been deported, while others are in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.
ICE’s Houston field office is responsible for conducting immigration enforcement in 58 counties in southeast Texas, stretching down the Texas Gulf Coast from Beaumont to Corpus Christi.
“The public needs to know that the aliens we’re targeting aren’t the harmless economic migrants that the mainstream media and elected officials try to portray,” Martinez said. “These are violent criminals who repeatedly violate our laws and there’s no doubt if we don’t arrest and deport them from the U.S., they will continue to commit crimes and more Americans will become victimized as a result.”
ICYMI: 6 illegal immigrants from Mexico were pulled from a hollowed out commercial AC unit in a smuggling attempt in Maverick County near Eagle Pass on June 8th 👀
Sheriff’s deputies say the individuals loaded into the unit at a stash house in Eagle Pass. The driver was stopped… pic.twitter.com/XDXdRbLeHx
— Ali Bradley (@AliBradleyTV) June 17, 2026
Juan Esteban Zelaya Hernandez, 43, is a four-time deported criminal illegal alien and alleged Paisas gang member from Honduras. He has been arrested for homicide, illegal reentry and illegal possession of a weapon and convicted of arson, battery, criminal mischief, damage to property and driving without a license. He was deported to Honduras May 11.
Alonso Rafael Barrera-De Leon, 41, is an admitted Paisas gang member from Mexico who has illegally entered the U.S. 12 times and has been convicted of drug trafficking, theft, drug possession, and illegal entry and reentry. He was deported to Mexico May 23.
Jose Salinas-Gonzalez, 41, is another alleged Paisas associate from Mexico who has illegally entered the U.S. at least 10 times. His rap sheet includes convictions for alien smuggling, five times for illegal reentry, three times for probation violation and once for resisting arrest and conspiring aiding or abetting. He was removed to Mexico May 13.
Dinh Quy Nguyen, 56, was convicted of attempted capital murder of a police officer and burglary. ICE arrested Nguyen on May 5 and he awaits removal to Vietnam. He remained free in the local community for 15 years despite having a final order of removal.
Miguel Rosas Ventura, 47, has been deported three times to Mexico and was convicted of manslaughter. Ventura was deported to Mexico June 7.
Another Mexican national, Javier Moya-Tentory, 41, has two prior removals and has been convicted of homicide. He was deported to Mexico June 5.
Those arrested have a combined 495 DWI convictions, including 10 hit-and-run DWIs, three aliens convicted of six DWIs, two aliens convicted of five DWIs, nine aliens convicted of four DWIs, 47 aliens convicted of three DWIs, and 66 aliens convicted of two DWIs.
Other serious offenses include:
- 38 sex offenses, including 13 child sex offenses, and 12 sex trafficking convictions
- 170 burglary, robbery and theft convictions
- 224 aggravated assault, assault, and battery convictions
- 23 domestic violence convictions
- 8 child abuse, cruelty or neglect convictions
- 4 arson and 3 kidnapping convictions
- 32 alien smuggling convictions
- 24 hit-and-run convictions
- 30 weapons offenses
- 67 resisting arrest, fleeing and obstructing of justice convictions
- 11 drug trafficking and 161 drug possession convictions
- 15 terroristic threats convictions
- 48 fraud, forgery and identity theft convictions
Four had street racing convictions, including two that resulted in serious bodily harm, and two had convictions for Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act offenses.
Another 316 criminal convictions involved money laundering, illegally operating a gambling establishment, criminal mischief, destruction of evidence, disorderly conduct, witness tampering, counterfeiting and property-related crimes.
