ICE - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

08/26/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 08/26/2026 05:31

ICE Operation Safe Community – Washington, D.C. nets more than 1,300 arrests throughout Virginia, Maryland

WASHINGTON - An ICE enhanced immigration enforcement operation throughout the states of Virginia and Maryland resulted in the arrests of 1,328 illegal alien offenders between Aug. 1 and Aug. 14. Titled "Operation Safe Community - Washington, D.C.", the two-week immigration enforcement operation netted illegal alien offenders with criminal histories that include murder, attempted murder, rape, aggravated assault, assault with a deadly weapon, assault and battery, kidnapping, domestic violence, sex crimes, arson, drug trafficking, drug possession, weapons crimes, driving while intoxicated and more.

"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."

While much of the operation was focused on arresting illegal alien offenders in the Washington, D.C. suburbs of Virginia and Maryland, ICE officers conducted targeted immigration enforcement actions throughout the entirety of the two states.

Operation Safe Community - Washington, D.C. closely follows Operation Safe Community - Atlanta in July, where ICE officers arrested more than 1,200 illegal alien offenders throughout the state of Georgia.

Of the 1,328 illegal aliens arrested, almost 400 have either been convicted or charged with crimes in the United States. ICE officers made these arrests despite the sanctuary policies of many of the counties throughout Virginia and Maryland.

"When sanctuary politicians refuse to work with ICE, they force our officers to make these arrests at large in the communities - creating a more dangerous environment for our officers, the aliens we are arresting, and the general public," Hyde said. "We could be using one or two officers to make a custodial arrest in the security of a jail cell; however, because sanctuary politicians refuse to cooperate, we have to expend time, manpower, and resources to arrest these aliens on the streets."

Additionally, ICE officers arrested many members of trans-national criminal street gangs like MS-13, 18th Street, and Tren de Aragua.

Operation Safe Community - Washington, D.C. displays Secretary Mullin's commitment to arresting and deporting criminal illegal aliens from American communities and is in keeping with President Trump's promise to make America safe again.

Among those arrested by ICE officers during Operation Safe Community - Washington, D.C. include:

  • Eygner Wilfredo Huezo-Moran, a criminal illegal alien wanted by local authorities for murder and use of a firearm in the commission of murder. ICE officers and U.S. Marshals arrested him in Chesterfield, Virginia and turned him over to local authorities to face criminal charges. ICE lodged an immigration detainer against Huezo-Moran and will initiate removal proceedings, pending completion of his criminal proceedings.
  • Actionel Pierre, a criminal illegal alien from Haiti whose criminal history includes attempted murder, two counts of assault, possession of a dangerous weapon with intent to injure, and reckless endangerment. ICE officers arrested Actionel in Wicomico County, Maryland. Actionel will remain in ICE custody pending his removal from the United States.
  • German Mejia-Baires, a criminal illegal alien and documented MS-13 gang member from El Salvador whose criminal history includes felony malicious wounding, DWI, illegal re-entry of a previously deported alien, driving on a suspended license, shoplifting, and failure to appear in court. ICE officers arrested Mejia-Baires in Manassas, Virginia. Mejia-Baires will remain in ICE custody pending removal from the United States.
  • Angel Gabriel Ortiz-Hernandez, a criminal illegal alien from Guatemala whose criminal history includes rape of a mentally incapacitated victim and two counts of aggravated sexual battery of an incapacitated victim. ICE officers arrested Ortiz-Hernandez in Alexandria, Virginia. Ortiz-Hernandez will remain in ICE custody pending removal from the United States.
  • Rowan Andrew Brown, a criminal illegal alien from Jamaica whose criminal history includes kidnapping, two counts of identity theft, fraud, and criminal re-entry of a previously deported alien. ICE officers arrested Brown in Alexandria, Virginia. Brown will remain in ICE custody pending removal from the United States.
  • Ronaldo Ronel Perez-Perez, a criminal illegal alien from Guatemala whose criminal history includes object sexual penetration by force, two counts of driving while intoxicated, criminal re-entry of a previously deported alien, and driving without a license. ICE officers arrested Perez-Peres in Richmond, Virginia. Perez-Perez will remain in ICE custody pending his removal from the United States.
  • Julio Hector Carranza-Rojano, a criminal illegal alien from Mexico whose criminal history includes felony aggravated sexual battery: parent with child 13-17, driving while intoxicated, and leaving the scene of an accident. ICE officers arrested Carranza-Rojano in Manassas, Virginia. Carranza-Rojano will remain in ICE custody pending his removal from the United States.

All illegal aliens arrested receive due process.

ICE - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement published this content on August 26, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on August 26, 2026 at 11:31 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]