U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in August arrested over 1,300 illegal aliens in Virginia and Maryland in what the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) called one of the agency’s most successful operations in history.
The 14-day operation, titled “Operation Safe Community—Washington, DC,” was conducted from August 1 to August 14, and specifically targeted sanctuary jurisdictions around the nation’s capital.
Of the 1,328 illegal aliens apprehended, 400 reportedly had prior criminal convictions or pending charges for offenses such as murder, attempted murder, rape, sexual battery, kidnapping, driving while intoxicated, hit-and-run, identity theft, and robbery.
ICE also targeted members of transnational criminal street gangs, including MS-13, 18th Street Gang, and Tren de Aragua. Notable arrests included a Salvadoran national wanted for murder in Richmond, Virginia, and an Haitian national arrested in Maryland for attempted murder and weapons possession.
While the operation focused heavily on the suburbs of Washington, D.C. within Virginia and Maryland, enforcement actions occurred throughout both states, DHS said.
Notable arrests includes Eygner Wilfredo Huezo-Moran, a Salvadoran national wanted for murder in Richmond, Virginia:
Actionel Pierre, an Haitian national arrested in Maryland for attempted murder and weapons possession:
Pierre’s criminal history includes arrests for attempted murder, two counts of assault, possession of a dangerous weapon with intent to injure, and reckless endangerment. ICE officers arrested him in Wicomico County, Maryland.
Another baddie arrested by ICE was Estrella Reyes-Funez, a criminal illegal alien from Honduras:
Reyes-Funez’s criminal history includes a conviction for felony hit-and-run and arrests for making a threat to bomb or burn, assault and battery on a family member, and violating a protective order.
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The operation follows a broader surge in enforcement under the second Trump Administration, which has seen nearly 20,000 ICE arrests in the D.C., Maryland, and Virginia region since January 2025.
“The brave men and women of ICE are hard at work every single day getting these dangerous illegal aliens out of our country. Over the course of just two weeks in Virginia and Maryland, they arrested sexual assailants, kidnappers, drunk drivers, robbers, and gang members,” said DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin in a statement Monday.
“While sanctuary politicians in Virginia and Maryland keep putting the needs of illegal aliens over the safety of the American people, the Trump Administration will always put American citizens first. By arresting and removing illegal aliens from our communities, we will make America safe again,” Mullin added.
One of Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger’s first actions as governor was to sign an executive order barring state and local authorities from cooperating with federal authorities for federal immigration enforcement. But the Democrat faced pressure to cooperate with ICE earlier this year after a string of very high profile and heinous crimes were committed by illegal aliens in the state.
The Maryland General Assembly passed Senate Bill 791, known as the Community Trust Act, back in April, prohibiting employees and agents of state and local correctional facilities and law enforcement from cooperating with ICE immigration enforcement. Governor Wes Moore (D) signed into law on May 31.
“Once again, our officers are out in the streets arresting and removing criminal alien offenders from American communities – this time in the Washington, D.C. area,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Acting Assistant Director Patricia Hyde. “Our officers are the best in the world at finding people who do not want to be located. That’s exactly what we did throughout the course of this operation. Removing these criminal alien offenders from Virginia and Maryland neighborhoods makes for much safer communities, and that is exactly what the men and women of ICE work to accomplish every day across our great nation.”
“Illegal aliens in Virginia and Maryland have NO sanctuary,” DHS stated on X. “By arresting and REMOVING these illegal aliens from our communities, we will make America SAFE again,” DHS added.
The operation in Maryland and Virginia comes on the heels of “Operation Safe Community – Atlanta” in July, where ICE officers arrested more than 1,200 illegal alien offenders throughout the state of Georgia.
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