Federal immigration enforcement agencies arrested 131 alleged gang members in a seven-day operation ending Oct. 10, the Department of Homeland Security announced Monday. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO) conducted 129 of the arrests, while Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) handled the remaining two.
The operation targeted members of MS-13 and Tren de Aragua, with 22 individuals linked to MS-13 and 13 to Tren de Aragua among those detained. The arrests occurred in multiple states, including Nevada, Florida, and Washington.
Among those taken into custody was Gustavo Adolfo Flores-Ramirez, an alleged MS-13 member from El Salvador wanted in his home country for aggravated homicide, femicide, and other violent crimes. Flores-Ramirez was arrested in Las Vegas on Oct. 14. According to DHS records, he was previously detained by Border Patrol in 2021, deported to Mexico, and later re-entered the U.S. illegally.
Another arrestee, Jose Luis Perez-Arrias, is described as a suspected hitman for Tren de Aragua. He entered the U.S. through Texas in October 2023 and was released by the Biden administration before being taken into custody in Tallahassee, Florida, on Oct. 14. Emerson Jossiel Calderon-Hernandez, an alleged MS-13 member from El Salvador, was arrested in Washington on Oct. 13 and has a prior conviction for second-degree assault.
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin stated in a release that frontline agents are working to prevent the worst elements of society from threatening Americans. “Under President Trump’s leadership, we are smashing the gangs and cartels, making it impossible for them to do business in America, and removing their members from our country,” Mullin said.
The operation follows a broader federal enforcement push targeting violent criminal organizations. ICE ERO and HSI conduct ongoing operations to identify, arrest, and deport individuals with criminal records, including gang affiliations. The department did not specify how many of those arrested were in the country illegally, though gang-affiliated members often face deportation proceedings regardless of immigration status.
The arrests come amid political debates over immigration enforcement. In Minnesota, Democratic Senate nominee Peggy Flanagan stated during a debate that ICE should be dismantled, aligning with a policy position that has gained traction within parts of the Democratic Party. The comment followed the public release of the arrest figures, though it did not reference the operation directly.
Federal officials emphasized the operation’s focus on public safety, noting that gang members pose significant risks to communities. The DHS release did not provide additional details on the locations of the arrests or the current legal status of those detained beyond their alleged gang ties.