ICE Harlingen Office Arrests 238 in Single-Day Operation Setting Record

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Harlingen, Texas, field office arrested 238 people during a single-day operation on June 18. New York Post reported that the agency described the total as a record for targeted arrests by Enforcement and Removal Operations in Harlingen.

The individuals arrested included people with prior convictions for attempted kidnapping, sexual battery, and drug possession, according to ICE. New York Post reported that two Mexican nationals were among those taken into custody. Manuel Morales-Geronimo, identified by ICE as a Paisas gang member, had previous convictions for assault causing bodily injury, possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana, driving while intoxicated, illegal entry, and three counts of illegal reentry.

Jose Alfredo Castillo-Mendoza had prior convictions for attempted kidnapping, sexual battery, and illegal reentry. ICE Harlingen Field Office Director Juan Agudelo stated that the mission focuses on enhancing public safety and restoring integrity to the nation’s immigration system.

He added that the office will stop at nothing to keep American communities safe by removing one criminal illegal alien at a time.

The announcement of the arrests occurred the same day President Donald Trump posted on social media opposing a reported DHS move to pause most ICE traffic stops. Trump wrote that the agency cannot give up one of ICE’s most important crime-fighting tools and that the reported policy shift would play right into the criminal’s hands.

New York Post reported that Fox News Digital’s Peter Pinedo contributed to the story.