DHS Arrests More Than 480K Illegal Immigrants in 9 Months

The Department of Homeland Security has arrested more than 480,000 illegal immigrants in nine months — 70% of whom had been convicted of crimes or had criminal charges against them, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Monday.

Noem made the announcement during a stop in Bradenton, Florida, and in an accompanying press release.

"President Trump unleashed ICE [U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement] to target the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens. Some of the criminals arrested include illegal aliens convicted of incest with a minor, homicide, sexual assault of a minor, and domestic violence," Noem said in the release.

"70% of ICE arrests are of illegal aliens convicted or charged with a crime in the U.S. This statistic doesn't even include foreign fugitives, illegal aliens convicted of crimes in other countries, gang members, and suspected terrorists."

Noem highlighted nine "worst of the worst" illegal immigrants who had been arrested in South and Central Florida. They included:

• "Erick Carlos Artiles Ramos, a criminal illegal alien from Cuba, convicted of homicide, kidnapping, robbery, armed carjacking, and driving under the influence;
• Oscar Alfredo Retana Marroquin, a criminal illegal alien from El Salvador, previously convicted of sexual assault of a child and driving under the influence;
• Arturo Sanchez Morales, a criminal illegal alien from Mexico, with convictions for lewd or lascivious acts with a minor, incest with a minor, and driving under the influence."

"We are not going to let these individuals terrorize our streets anymore, and we're not going to let them make victims out of families that live in this country," Noem said at the press conference.

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