DHS Arrests 480K+ Illegals in 9 Months

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem spoke in Bradenton on Monday morning about ICE operations.

She said since January, the Department of Homeland Security has arrested over 480,000 criminal illegal immigrants and seized illegal guns and drugs.

According to Noem, 70 percent of those arrested have criminal charges against them or have been convicted of those criminal charges.

"We are focused on the worst of the worst," Noem explained. "Bringing these people to justice. We’re not going to let individuals terrorize our streets anymore and we’re not going to let them make victims out of families that live in this country."

Sarasota area arrests

In Sarasota, she said a convicted murderer who was an illegal immigrant from Cuba was arrested.

Noem explained that he had a prior removal order in 2008 and is now off the streets. He was also convicted of kidnapping and carjacking.

An illegal immigrant from El Salvador was also arrested. Noem said he was convicted of sexual assault against a child in 1995. He was deported twice and came back.

An illegal immigrant from Mexico was arrested for driving drunk, who was deported once re-entered and was issued a final order of removal in 2016. He was previously arrested for burglary, possession of cocaine, larceny, DUIs, and lewd acts against a minor.

An illegal immigrant from Honduras, who was convicted of domestic violence, had been deported twice before.

"These individuals are just a handful of people who’ve been in this country creating victims of American citizens," Noem stated. "Now, those families no longer have to worry about them. Not only have they been incarcerated, but they are going to be brought to justice for the crimes that they committed."

Florida and Homeland Security relationship

Noem touted the relationship Homeland Security has with law enforcement agencies across the state of Florida.

"Florida has been the state that has provided the most law enforcement agreements under the 287G than any other state. It shows that they recognize the importance of bringing individuals to justice who have committed crimes against people in their community," Noem said. "But, also, ways that we can support our federal government in the work that we do as well. As far as enforcing our immigration laws, but also making sure these dangerous terrorists and criminals and gang members are brought to justice and removed out of our country."

Noem said she is grateful for partnerships such as Alligator Alcatraz and Deportation Depot because it helped with detainment centers that allow Homeland Security to detain individuals until they can be removed.

"It’s more beneficial for the taxpayers, but it also provides the bedspace that we need until these individuals can be removed," she shared.

Self-deportation benefits

Noem explained that if people are in this country illegally, the United States will give them $1,000 and buy them a plane ticket to leave.

"Go home to your country and come the right way. If they wait until we detain them and have to remove them ourselves, they will never have the chance to come back to America," Noem explained.

However, if they have committed a crime in the United States, they will be prosecuted for those crimes.

"They will be prosecuted for their crimes first in this country and they will serve their time if convicted, which many of them have long histories of criminal activity and then they will be deported to their home countries," Noem said.