U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced the conclusion of a 14-day nationwide enforcement operation that resulted in the arrest of more than 1,000 criminal illegal aliens, according to a statement released Monday.
The operation, named Operation Angel’s Honor, concluded on Dec. 22 and led to the arrest of more than 1,030 criminal illegal aliens under the Laken Riley Act, the agency said. ICE stated the operation was conducted in memory of Laken Riley, a Georgia nursing student murdered in 2024 by a Venezuelan illegal alien.
Congress passed the Laken Riley Act with bipartisan support in January, and the legislation was signed into law by Donald Trump shortly after he took office. The law mandates the detention of non-citizens charged with specific crimes, including burglary, theft, larceny, shoplifting, assault on a law enforcement officer, and offenses resulting in serious bodily injury or death.
In a statement released by the Department of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem said the administration had expanded enforcement authority under the new law.
“Now, these criminals will face justice and be removed from our country,” Noem said. She added that ICE officers were “empowered us to arrest and remove the millions of violent criminal illegal aliens unleashed on the United States by the previous administration.”
ICE provided details on several arrests made during the operation, including individuals with serious criminal histories involving violent and sexual crimes.
Among those arrested was Jamie Escobar-Mirales, a 37-year-old illegal alien from Mexico, who was taken into custody on Dec. 18. ICE said his criminal history includes arrests for two counts of rape of a child, and he is now facing removal proceedings.
Another individual, Javier Diaz-Cabrera, 40, also from Mexico, was arrested on Dec. 18. According to ICE, his criminal history includes arrests for illegal sexual contact with a victim under the age of 13 and sexual assault of a victim under 18 by a guardian.
ICE arrested Javier Diaz-Cabrera, a criminal illegal alien from Mexico, Dec. 18.
His rap sheet includes arrests for:
• CHILD SEX ABUSE
• SEXUAL ASSAULT OF A CHILD UNDER 13 BY A GUARDIANHe was convicted of EVADING RESPONSIBILITY/PHYSICAL INJURY. pic.twitter.com/HFq4nmYY3C
— U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (@ICEgov) December 23, 2025
Evelyn Martinez-Rodriguez, a 36-year-old illegal alien from Honduras, was arrested on Dec. 9. ICE said her criminal history includes arrests for assault-torture and willful abuse of a child, domestic violence assault, and public order crimes.
Additional arrests included Fredy Garcia-Canan, a 34-year-old illegal alien from Guatemala with an outstanding removal order from 2024, and Fernando Manzanares-Cruz, a 40-year-old illegal alien from El Salvador who was ordered removed in 2016. ICE stated both individuals had prior arrests for violent offenses.
Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons said the operation was named in honor of Riley’s memory.
“We named this operation ‘Angel’s Honor’ in honor of the memory of Laken Riley, whose life was tragically cut short by illegal alien crime,” Lyons said. “ICE’s mission is to ensure that no more Americans will fall victim to illegal alien crime.”
