U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced that its Harlingen, Texas, field office, working with law enforcement partners, arrested 238 illegal immigrants in a single-day operation that the agency said set a record for targeted arrests in the Rio Grande Valley. The June 18 operation resulted in the arrests of individuals with convictions including attempted kidnapping, sexual battery, and drug possession, according to the agency.
ICE said the arrests marked the highest number of targeted arrests in a single day for Enforcement and Removal Operations Harlingen. Among those taken into custody was Manuel Morales-Geronimo, a Mexican national whom authorities identified as a Paisas gang member. Morales-Geronimo was previously convicted of assault causing bodily injury, possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana, driving while intoxicated, illegal entry into the United States, and three counts of illegal reentry, according to ICE.
Another individual arrested during the operation was Jose Alfredo Castillo-Mendoza, also a Mexican national. According to ICE, he was previously convicted of attempted kidnapping, sexual battery, and illegal reentry. The arrests come as the Trump administration continues its crackdown on illegal immigration and seeks to remove criminal illegal immigrants from communities across the country.
ICE Harlingen Field Office Director Juan Agudelo emphasized the agency's commitment to public safety in a statement. «The ICE mission continues to focus on enhancing public safety and restoring integrity to our nation's immigration system,» Agudelo said. «We will stop at nothing to keep our American communities safe by removing one criminal illegal alien at a time.»
The announcement coincided with President Donald Trump pushing back on a reported Department of Homeland Security move to pause most ICE traffic stops. In a social media post, Trump called traffic stops «one of ICE's most important and effective Crime Fighting tools.» The reported pause followed scrutiny over recent fatal encounters involving immigration enforcement traffic stops. Trump wrote, «We CANNOT give up one of ICE's most important and effective Crime Fighting tools, THE TRAFFIC STOP!» He added that the DHS policy shift would be «playing right into the criminal's hands.»
The operation underscores the broader federal effort to prioritize the arrest and removal of illegal immigrants with criminal histories. ICE officials have repeatedly stated that targeting individuals with prior convictions is central to their mission of enhancing public safety. The agency's Rio Grande Valley field office, which covers a region that has long been a focal point for illegal border crossings, has conducted numerous targeted operations in recent months.
The arrests also highlight the ongoing debate over immigration enforcement tactics. Critics have raised concerns about the scope and methods of ICE operations, including traffic stops, which some argue can lead to racial profiling and community distrust. Supporters, however, maintain that such measures are necessary to apprehend dangerous individuals who pose a threat to public safety.
In addition to the two high-profile cases, ICE did not release the full list of those arrested, but the agency confirmed that many had prior criminal convictions ranging from drug offenses to violent crimes. The operation involved coordination with multiple law enforcement agencies, though ICE did not specify which partners participated.
The record arrest day in South Texas comes amid a broader national push by the Trump administration to increase immigration enforcement. Since taking office, the president has signed several executive orders aimed at tightening border security and expanding the authority of immigration agencies. The administration has also faced legal challenges to some of its policies, including a recent ruling by a Biden-appointed judge that overruled a key Trump immigration policy.
ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations branch has been at the forefront of these efforts, conducting regular operations in cities and regions with high concentrations of illegal immigrants. The Harlingen field office's record arrest day is seen as a significant milestone in the agency's ongoing campaign to remove criminal illegal immigrants from the United States.
As the debate over immigration policy continues, the operation in South Texas serves as a reminder of the complex and often contentious nature of enforcement efforts. For now, ICE officials say they remain focused on their mission. «We will stop at nothing to keep our American communities safe,» Agudelo reiterated.
