Immigration officers nabbed 238 illegal immigrants in one day in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, setting a record for single-day arrests, as routine daily immigration enforcement continues across the country.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced the arrests this week and said the group included criminals with convictions for attempted kidnapping, sexual battery and drug possession.
ICE, working with state and local law enforcement partners, made the 238 targeted arrests on June 18. The arrests marked the highest single-day arrest total for ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations Harlingen, Texas, field office.
Unlike during the Biden administration, ICE is actively seeking out criminal offenders and other immigration violators with no legal basis to remain in the United States.
“The ICE mission continues to focus on enhancing public safety and restoring integrity to our nation’s immigration system,” ICE Harlingen Field Office Director Juan Agudelo said. “We will stop at nothing to keep our American communities safe by removing one criminal illegal alien at a time.”
The Trump administration isn’t letting up on its immigration crackdown in an effort to deport some of the millions of migrants who entered under President Joe Biden and remove the “worst of the worst.”
While ICE continues to carry out targeted arrests, it comes amid scrutiny over vehicle rammings and other violence. ICE officials are facing backlash for officer-involved shootings during immigration enforcement traffic stops.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said “ICE is NOT backing down and will continue to remove criminals from our communities” in a post on X, adding “8 in 10 Americans support our common sense efforts to deport criminal illegal aliens like these murderers, pedophiles, and drug traffickers we removed from our nation yesterday.”
ICE is NOT backing down and will continue to remove criminals from our communities.
8 in 10 Americans support our common sense efforts to deport criminal illegal aliens like these murderers, pedophiles, and drug traffickers we removed from our nation yesterday ⬇️…
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) July 16, 2026
President Donald Trump campaigned on mass deportations and removing criminal illegal immigrants. This week, Trump pushed back on a reported move by DHS to pause most ICE traffic stops, calling them “one of ICE’s most important and effective Crime Fighting tools,” Fox News Digital reported.
In a social media post, Trump wrote, “We CANNOT give up one of ICE’s most important and effective Crime Fighting tools, THE TRAFFIC STOP!”
On Wednesday, DHS officials called out the Democratic politicians fueling the ICE resistance and demanded they turn down the rhetoric. They blame politicians who support open borders for encouraging anti-ICE activists and illegal immigrants to be more brazen in resisting arrest.
Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said in a news release that the “dangerous smears and hoaxes spread by sanctuary politicians” have led to a 3,300% surge in vehicle attacks by illegal migrants and anti-ICE agitators.
“Every day, the brave men and women of ICE and CBP put their lives on the line to protect the American people and remove criminal illegal aliens from our communities,” Bis said. “We are once again calling on sanctuary politicians, agitators, and the media to turn the temperature down and stop calling for violence and resistance against ICE law enforcement.”
In southern Texas, the Harlingen Field Office serves more than a dozen counties in the Rio Grande Valley and along the Gulf of America. Although Texas has long battled illegal border crossers, illegal migrants flooded across the Rio Grande under Biden.
The migrant influx became such a crisis that Gov. Greg Abbott created a Texas Border Czar position and started busing migrants to other parts of the country.
The Harlingen operation was aimed at increasing public safety and removing criminal illegal migrants from local communities and “demonstrates a continued commitment to upholding ICE’s mission of keeping the American people safe,” ICE officials said.
ICE Harlingen released the names of eight Mexican nationals who were among the worst offenders arrested:
Manuel Morales-Geronimo is an alleged Paisas gang member with convictions for assault causing bodily injury, possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana, driving while intoxicated, one illegal entry into the United States and three illegal reentries.
Jose Alfredo Castillo-Mendoza was convicted of attempted kidnapping, sexual battery and illegal reentry.
Fernando Leonel Perez-Torres has convictions for collision involving injury, theft, illegal entry and two illegal reentries.
Noe Tinoco Perez has a criminal history including felony possession of a controlled substance, maintaining a place for controlled substance, amphetamine trafficking and illegal reentry.
Juan Sebastian Chable-De La Cruz was convicted of unlawful carrying of a weapon and two illegal reentries.
Gilberto Hernandez-Valdez has convictions for driving under the influence of liquor, hit and run, obstructing police and three illegal entries.
Guadalupe Rosales was convicted of possession with intent to distribute marijuana, and Gabino Guerrero-Flores was convicted of theft of property.
Some of those arrested could face additional charges for illegal re-entry into the United States.
