ICE announced a national round of arrests described as a Christmas gift for Americans, highlighting the agency’s focus on removing dangerous illegal aliens and showcasing the results of recent enforcement priorities. The Department of Homeland Security also reported a large number of departures and removals since the current administration took office, and senior officials framed the actions as part of a broader push to restore public safety. The articles below lay out the agency statements, named arrests, and reactions from top DHS leaders.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement released a statement saying the agency delivered what it called a Christmas gift to Americans: the arrest of dangerous illegal aliens across the country. “This holiday season, ICE is working around the clock to ensure silent nights and safer streets,” read Friday’s announcement. The agency presented the operation as a concentrated effort to remove individuals with violent criminal records and serious public-safety implications.
ICE’s release listed a range of prior convictions tied to those arrested, including burglary, bank robbing, and aggravated kidnapping. The document emphasized that these arrests were not accidental but the result of targeted investigations and cooperation with local law enforcement. “Violent criminal illegal aliens who break our laws have absolutely no business remaining in the United States.” said Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.
The enforcement actions also added people to Homeland Security’s Worst of the Worst roster, a database the agency says contains over 15,000 criminal illegal aliens arrested under the previous administration. Among those named were transnational theft ring member Jessupe Sandino Berraza-Rivera and Luis Enrique Castaneda-Reyes, a Colombian national with ten prior convictions ranging from bank robbery to drug and firearms violations. The roster functions as a visible record of the types of offenders ICE prioritizes and keeps the public informed about repeat and serious offenders.
In a separate announcement, Homeland Security reported that more than 2.5 million illegal aliens have been deported or fled the United States since President Trump came into office, framing that figure as evidence of a restored immigration enforcement agenda. “In less than a year, President Trump has delivered some of the most historic and consequential achievements in presidential history—and this Administration is just getting started,” Secretary Kristi Noem said. The department tied ongoing enforcement to broader goals of deterrence, border integrity, and community protection.
Secretary Noem made clear that the work will continue, saying, “Though 2025 was historic, we won’t rest until the job is done.” That line reinforces a pledge to carry enforcement efforts into the coming year and suggests more operations and removals are planned. For conservatives who have prioritized rule of law and secure borders, those words signal persistence rather than a one-off push for headlines.
Editor’s Note: Democrat politicians and their radical supporters will do everything they can to interfere with and threaten ICE agents enforcing our immigration laws. Conservative voices view agency actions as necessary to push back on policies and rhetoric that they say have made communities less safe. Supporters argue that consistent enforcement and clear priorities are the most effective tools to stop repeat offenders and reduce crime tied to illegal entry and overstays.
Public safety advocates say arrests of convicted criminals are a central part of restoring confidence in immigration enforcement, and agency statements are being used to show measurable outcomes. Critics will challenge tactics, oversight, and civil liberties questions, but the department and its backers frame these arrests as straightforward law enforcement. The broader debate will continue, but the recent round of actions makes the administration’s enforcement priorities unmistakably clear.
