Federal agents arrested 189 illegal immigrants in the Washington, D.C. region last week as part of a coordinated enforcement operation following President Donald Trump’s recent executive order aimed at restoring law and order in the nation’s capital.
The enforcement effort involved multiple federal and state agencies, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Virginia Department of Corrections, the FBI Washington Field Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the U.S. Marshals Service, and the U.S. State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia confirmed the arrests and attributed the success of the operation to the Trump administration’s renewed focus on immigration enforcement and public safety.
“Thanks to President Trump’s leadership and this administration’s focus on law and order, these arrests represent a major step forward in making Washington, D.C., safer for legal citizens and their families,” said outgoing U.S. Attorney Ed Martin in a statement on Tuesday.
“These arrests make clear that violating our nation’s immigration laws will not be ignored.”
Martin stated during a press conference that nearly a dozen of the individuals arrested had prior criminal records.
“Most of them are administrative,” he noted, according to Axios.
However, the Department of Justice highlighted four cases involving illegal immigrants with extensive criminal histories.
Among the individuals detained, two are citizens of Guatemala, one is from El Salvador, and one is from Mexico.
The most serious charges were attributed to a 47-year-old Guatemalan national who had previously been deported but reentered the country illegally.
That individual’s criminal record includes convictions for drug possession, illegal reentry, aggravated assault, trespassing, disorderly conduct, and sexual assault.
He now faces new charges including unlawful reentry of a previously deported alien, disorderly conduct, lewd acts, possession of a controlled substance, sex abuse, and assault with a dangerous weapon.
The arrests are part of a broader federal effort connected to President Trump’s executive order issued in March, titled “Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful.”
The order outlines directives to enhance safety and quality of life in the capital by removing illegal immigrants, reducing crime, enforcing laws related to public behavior, and eliminating graffiti and homeless encampments on federal property.
The executive order also empowers federal agencies to prioritize coordination with local law enforcement to address crime and disorder, with particular focus on areas surrounding federal buildings, national landmarks, and other government-owned property.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office has not disclosed the exact breakdown of charges or pending removal proceedings for each of the individuals arrested, but federal officials indicated that the majority will be referred to immigration courts for deportation proceedings.
Additional enforcement actions are expected in the coming weeks as the executive order is implemented across other federal jurisdictions.
The Department of Homeland Security has not released the names of those arrested but confirmed that all individuals taken into custody are being processed in accordance with federal immigration laws.
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