DHS Sec Noem says ICE mission continues despite sanctuary politicians, agitators

A FIRST ON FOX: Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) continues to detain criminal illegal immigrants across the country despite what he described as a “total lack of cooperation” from sanctuary politicians and agitators he accuses of trying to obstruct law enforcement, he told Fox News Digital on Tuesday.

“In one year, President [Donald] “Trump has made great progress in fulfilling the American people’s mandate to remove the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens from our streets, despite the lack of cooperation from sanctuary politicians and agitators who seek to obstruct enforcement of the law,” Noem said in a statement to Fox News Digital. he wrote.

He noted: Department of Homeland Security (DHS) deported more than 670,000 illegal immigrants last year, including murderers, pedophiles, rapists, gang members and terrorists.

“Just yesterday ICE arrested pedophiles, domestic abusers, and drug traffickers,” Noem wrote. “The more arrests DHS makes, the more self-deporters we see, numbering over 2 million. This is just the beginning of America’s golden age.”

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Noem’s message was accompanied by a new wave of arrests made by ICE on Monday, including convictions for heinous crimes, including indecent liberties with a child, domestic violence and cocaine distribution.

Uriel Hernandez-Betancourt was a criminal illegal immigrant from Mexico. arrested by ICE and was previously convicted of indecent child liberties in North Carolina’s Moore County.

Parede Zuniga, a convicted illegal immigrant from Guatemala, was also captured by federal agents and had previously been convicted of cocaine distribution. Fairfax County, Virginia.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem highlighted a new wave of ICE arrests targeting convicted felons in multiple states. (Mug photos: Department of Homeland Security; Background: Photo: HERIKA MARTINEZ/AFP via Getty Images)

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Lucio Valdovinos, a criminal illegal immigrant from Mexico, had previously been convicted of domestic violence. Los Angeles, Californiaand had multiple convictions for drunken driving and disorderly conduct in California.

Lorenzo Aviles-Macedo, another convicted illegal immigrant from Mexico, was previously convicted of causing bodily harm to his wife and driving under the influence in Los Angeles.

As Democrats continue to criticize the Trump administration for allegedly detaining immigrants without criminal records, DHS told Fox News Digital on Friday that 70 percent of immigrants illegal immigrants Those arrested by ICE had criminal convictions or pending charges in the US

DHS said it is unclear how many of the 30% of illegal immigrants detained by ICE who have no criminal convictions or pending criminal charges in the U.S. are wanted for crimes in their countries of origin, other countries, or by the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL).

People march during a protest following the murder of Renee Nicole Good on January 8, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Getty Images)

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But in a recent appearance on Fox News’ “Special Report,” Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., claimed that records show 75% of immigrants arrested by ICE in Virginia do not have a criminal record.

“They may have entered our country illegally, but 75 percent of the people arrested have no other criminal record,” Warner said. “Let’s work on people who potentially have criminal records, but that’s different than what’s going on right now, and the Biden administration has messed up the border, I’ll be the first to admit that, but the idea is that ICE agents in masks are picking up moms who are dropping off their kids, people are going to work, and as we’ve seen at least in the case in Minnesota, sometimes the idea is that kids are left in the car after their parents, who may or may not actually be criminals.”