ICE arrests 121 during summer enforcement initiative in Texas lake community, including 2 members of the Tren de Aragua terrorist organization

DALLAS - ICE Dallas arrested 121 individuals during a summer-long enforcement initiative focused on improving public safety and supporting local law enforcement during peak boating season around Lake Lewisville. Two of those arrested are members of the Tren de Aragua transnational gang, which has been designated as a foreign terrorist organization and a specially designated global terrorist group by the U.S. State Department.

The initiative began June 27 and ended on Labor Day weekend. ICE Dallas led the operation with support from various state and federal agencies. The mission focused on identifying unlawfully present foreign nationals, assisting in lake-related investigations, and allowing local law enforcement to spend more time on the water enforcing boating and safety laws and protecting the public.

"This operation highlights the success we can achieve when federal, state and local law enforcement partners work together toward a common public safety mission," said ICE Dallas Field Office Director Miguel Vergara. "ICE is committed to upholding the law, enforcing our nation's immigration laws, and removing individuals who pose a threat to our communities. These arrests reflect our continued focus on public safety and the rule of law."

The individuals arrested during the operation had criminal histories that included assault, family violence, assault causing bodily injury, theft, burglary, sexual assault of a child, indecency with a child by sexual contact, evading arrest or detention with a vehicle, driving while intoxicated, boating while intoxicated, criminal mischief, criminal negligence, and various traffic-related offenses.

Among those arrested were:

Both individuals were under investigation by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for allegedly operating an illegal livery operation on Lake Lewisville. Illegal livery operations can create significant public safety risks because they may bypass safety, inspection, and insurance and operator requirements. A similar illegal livery operation was connected to the death of an Air Force cadet over the 2025 Memorial Day weekend on Grapevine Lake.

The operation also resulted four more arrests, including those whose criminal histories or immigration histories presented additional public safety and immigration enforcement concerns.

ICE's arrest of the 121 illegal aliens in the Lake Lewisville area this summer is in keeping with President Trump and Secretary Mullin's promise to make America safe again, and in furtherance of the mandate of the American people to arrest and remove illegal aliens from American communities.

The summer water safety initiative highlights the value of interagency cooperation during high-traffic recreational periods, when law enforcement agencies must balance public safety demands on the water with criminal and immigration enforcement priorities on land. By assisting with identification and investigative support, ICE Dallas helped partner agencies focus resources where they were most needed while ensuring individuals who posed public safety concerns were taken into custody.

"This operation allowed our agency to use limited resources more effectively," said Vergara. "The results speak for themselves: 121 arrests, public safety threats off the streets, and stronger coordination among federal, state, and local law enforcement partners."