Key Takeaways
• DHS arrested over 158,000 illegal immigrants since January 2025, 75% with criminal convictions or charges.
• Massachusetts sanctuary policies limit cooperation, causing release of dangerous criminals despite ICE detainer requests.
• Over 600 Tren de Aragua gang members arrested to disrupt violent criminal networks nationwide.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has made a series of high-profile announcements about its ongoing work to locate, detain, and remove what it calls “criminal illegal aliens” from across the United States 🇺🇸. The most recent operations have focused closely on violent criminals, gang members, and people with serious criminal convictions. Massachusetts, known as a sanctuary state, has been one of the main locations for these enforcement actions.
This article breaks down the key facts from DHS’s recent enforcement actions, includes details of individuals arrested and deported, and explains some of the issues being debated about these policies. It also looks at how these actions affect immigrants, their families, law enforcement, and communities, especially in states and cities that have sanctuary policies.
DHS Steps Up Immigration Enforcement—Focus on Violent Crime
On May 19, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security announced several new operations targeting people living in the United States 🇺🇸 illegally who are accused or convicted of violent crimes. The agency in charge of removing noncitizens—Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)—has made a point of focusing on people considered a threat to public safety. The arrests include people with records of serious crimes, such as trying to hire someone to commit murder (“solicitation to commit murder”), assault on pregnant women, indecent assault of a child, and attacking police officers.
Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stated that these operations demonstrate the administration’s commitment to protecting the public. She said, “Each criminal illegal alien we remove is one less threat to innocent Americans.”
ICE’s operations in Massachusetts were highlighted by DHS as an example of the challenges faced when local law enforcement agencies do not coordinate fully with federal immigration authorities. Massachusetts is a sanctuary state, which means some local police or jails do not always share information about detainees with ICE, or may not honor requests from ICE to hold detainees past their release dates. According to DHS, this can result in people with serious criminal histories being released back into the community.
High-Profile Arrests in Massachusetts
DHS shared the names and details of several individuals arrested in Massachusetts. The focus on this state is noteworthy because it is one of several states that have passed laws or policies limiting cooperation between local police and federal immigration agencies.
Some of the individuals arrested include:
- Kleber Lasso: An Ecuadorian national arrested on May 5, 2025. Lasso had already been convicted in the United States of trying to hire someone to commit murder. After serving his sentence, local authorities released him without notifying ICE, even though the agency had placed a detainer, which is a formal request to hold the individual for federal custody.
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Senat Dufren: A Haitian national arrested on May 7, 2025. Dufren had several criminal charges, including assault and battery on a pregnant woman—a very serious offense the administration says puts both mother and unborn child at grave risk.
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Elismar Alves Ferreira: A Brazilian national arrested on May 12, 2025. This person was charged with assault and battery on a police officer, an offense that both endangers law enforcement and shows disregard for community safety.
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Carlos Araujo: A Uruguayan national arrested on May 12, 2025. Araujo was convicted of indecent assault and battery on a seven-year-old child. As reported by VisaVerge.com, ICE officials cited this case as proof that stronger cooperation is needed between ICE and local police to prevent further harm to children and families.
DHS criticized local authorities for allowing some of these people to be released from custody despite ICE’s requests, saying that these policies allow offenders to “victimize more innocent Americans.”
Nationwide Operations—Key Figures and Arrests
The Department of Homeland Security provided updated numbers to highlight the scope of its enforcement efforts. Since January 2025, the Trump administration reported that ICE arrested over 158,000 illegal immigrants across the country. Out of these, about 75% had criminal convictions or were facing charges in U.S. courts. This means that three out of every four people ICE arrested had already been tied to some sort of crime, either proven in court or alleged.
DHS also drew attention to its success in taking down violent gangs. More than 600 members of the Tren de Aragua gang—a group known for violent crime—were arrested. These arrests were part of a larger effort to target organized crime and gang activity linked to noncitizens.
On May 21, 2025, DHS confirmed that a deportation flight had removed eight people from different countries, all with very serious criminal records. The countries included Cuba 🇨🇺, Laos 🇱🇦, Mexico 🇲🇽, Myanmar 🇲🇲, South Sudan 🇸🇸, and Vietnam 🇻🇳. These individuals had been found guilty of crimes such as homicide, attempted murder, sexual assault, and similar offenses.
ICE and DHS explained that these removals are designed to reduce risks to public safety and show the government’s intention to protect both citizens and residents.
Legal and Policy Challenges
While the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement are showcasing their enforcement results, these actions are not without legal or political conflict. Enforcement operations, especially deportations, often attract attention from courts, advocacy groups, and local politicians.
Judicial Oversight in Massachusetts
A recent case in Massachusetts brought these issues into sharp focus. After the announcement of a DHS deportation flight, lawyers said some individuals on the plane were about to be sent to South Sudan 🇸🇸—a country some courts have warned may be unsafe for deportations. As a result, a federal judge ordered DHS to keep these individuals “in custody and control” and stop the deportation until their cases could be reviewed to ensure compliance with court orders banning removal to certain countries.
DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin spoke out against the judge’s decision. She said, “It’s absolutely absurd for a district judge to try and dictate the foreign policy and national security of the United States of America.” This comment points to long-running debates about whether judges or immigration officials should have the final say on deportation decisions—especially when foreign governments, safety issues, and U.S. treaties are involved.
Controversy over Deporting U.S. Citizen Children
Another issue drawing national attention has been reports of U.S. citizen children being deported alongside undocumented family members. In one case, three children who were born in the United States—making them citizens—were reportedly sent to Honduras 🇭🇳 with their mothers when the women were deported from Louisiana. Cases like this are especially controversial, as critics say they can harm children, break up families, and may not be fully in line with the rights citizen children should have under U.S. law.
These stories have prompted calls for better oversight, clearer rules, and closer checks before deportations take place—especially in cases involving children or other vulnerable people.
New Policy Steps and Technology Changes
In 2025, the administration introduced a “voluntary departure” program offering financial incentives and travel help to undocumented immigrants who agree to “self-deport”. The goal is to encourage people to leave the country willingly, rather than go through long and costly legal processes or arrests.
To support this, the government replaced an old mobile tool known as the CBP One app with a new one called “CBP Home”. This app is designed to make it easier for immigrants to handle their cases, get information, and sign up for voluntary departure if they wish. Some advocates believe the new process is more humane, while others say it does not address the root causes that drive people to migrate in the first place.
For those interested in the official rules about immigration enforcement or programs like voluntary departure, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security website provides up-to-date statements and instructions.
The Broader Picture—Impacts and Ongoing Debates
These enforcement actions and policy moves have wide impacts:
- For immigrants: Those with criminal convictions or pending cases now face higher risks of being detained by ICE, even in sanctuary states. Family members may worry about separation, especially for mixed-status families with both citizens and non-citizens.
- For law enforcement: Local police in states like Massachusetts must balance their cooperation with federal agencies against local laws meant to protect immigrants from being turned over to ICE too easily. This sometimes creates tension between state and federal agencies.
- For communities: Sanctuary policies are meant to build trust between immigrants and police so that people report crimes and cooperate with investigations. Critics of DHS’s approach say that aggressive enforcement can make immigrants afraid to come forward or seek help.
- For policymakers and courts: Judges may step in when they think deportations could violate U.S. law or international treaties. This can lead to legal fights between local, state, and federal officials. The question of who has the final say remains a hot topic.
Controversies, Criticisms, and Support
Supporters of DHS’s approach argue that removing dangerous criminals protects the public and makes everyone safer. They say there is a real need to enforce laws and ensure that people who commit violent acts face consequences, regardless of immigration status.
Opponents stress the need for fairness and protection of due process. They say that policies sometimes sweep up people whose cases are still being reviewed or who have families, jobs, and children in the United States. Stories about U.S. citizen children deported with their parents add fuel to debates about whether the system is careful enough to protect those who have legal rights.
Some critics also point out that while the Department of Homeland Security emphasizes the removal of violent offenders, ICE’s actions sometimes include individuals with less serious offenses or even administrative violations like missing paperwork. They urge better oversight and clear standards so that resources remain focused on the greatest public safety risks.
In Massachusetts and other sanctuary states, local leaders stand by their policies, arguing that working with federal agencies only for major crimes—rather than general immigration enforcement—keeps communities safer in the long run by building trust.
Moving Forward—What Can Be Expected?
It’s clear that the work of the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement will continue to draw both strong support and sharp criticism. The administration has underlined that its main goal is to keep the United States 🇺🇸 safe by removing people it describes as serious criminals. Supporters see these operations as needed to restore order. Detractors believe a balanced approach—one that respects families and legal rights—is possible.
The debate over how sanctuary policies affect public safety, community trust, and federal-local cooperation will likely continue, especially in states like Massachusetts. Lawsuits, court orders, and new policy changes are all part of a shifting landscape that affects immigrants and the wider public.
For more information about current enforcement priorities, official statements, or programs for voluntary departure, readers can visit the Department of Homeland Security’s website. It’s always important to review the latest updates, as policies and guidance could change quickly in response to court rulings, new laws, or shifts in public opinion.
Summary
The latest moves by the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement underline the United States 🇺🇸 government’s focus on removing people with serious criminal backgrounds—especially violent offenders and gang members—from cities and states across the country, including sanctuary states such as Massachusetts. These efforts have led to arrests and deportations but have also sparked court cases, criticism, and concerns about fairness toward families and children.
Key points include:
- DHS and ICE arrested over 158,000 people since January 2025, three-fourths of whom had criminal convictions or charges.
- Special attention is being paid to violent offenses and gang activity, with hundreds of gang members detained.
- Sanctuary states like Massachusetts have seen high-profile ICE operations, sometimes at odds with local policies.
- Legal fights, judicial interventions, and new technology demonstrate how complex the immigration enforcement landscape has become.
Going forward, both the enforcement work and the debates around it will likely remain in the spotlight. Stakeholders on all sides continue to ask for safety, fairness, and clarity—and policy changes and court actions will keep shaping what happens next.
Learn Today
Detainer → A formal request by ICE to local authorities to hold a detainee for federal custody after release.
Sanctuary State → A state that limits cooperation with federal immigration authorities to protect undocumented immigrants.
Voluntary Departure → A program offering assistance for undocumented immigrants who choose to leave the U.S. willingly.
Solicitation to Commit Murder → A criminal offense involving attempting to hire someone to carry out a murder.
Tren de Aragua → A violent gang from Latin America with a significant presence in the U.S.
This Article in a Nutshell
The Department of Homeland Security targets violent criminals living illegally in the U.S., focusing on sanctuary states like Massachusetts. Arrests include gang members and offenders with serious charges. Legal battles arise over deportations, especially involving U.S. citizen children and judicial rulings on unsafe country removals, highlighting enforcement complexities.
— By VisaVerge.com
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• Friedrich Merz’s immigration policies face criticism in new global report
• Supreme Court focuses on process in key immigration cases this year
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• Immigration Court sets new record for asylum decisions and denials
