THE FOLLOW UP
Feb 03, 2026 · dhs.gov
Niche News

DHS highlights ICE arrests of noncitizens convicted of kidnapping, child sexual assault, drug trafficking and other crimes

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Key takeaways

  • DHS released a statement (Feb 3, 2026) publicizing ICE arrests of noncitizens described as "criminal illegal aliens" convicted of kidnapping, aggravated sexual assault of a child, drug trafficking, fraud, and weapons possession.
  • Named individuals in the release: Armando Miguel Hernandez-Valdez (Mexico) — convictions including kidnapping in St. George, Utah; Carlos Martinez (El Salvador) — conviction for aggravated sexual assault of a child in Dallas County, Texas; Freddy Railandy Medina-Cruz (Dominican Republic) — convictions for drug trafficking in Boston and fraud in U.S. District Court in Michigan and reentry in U.S. District Court in Florida; Jianqiao Lu (China) — conviction for criminal possession of an assault weapon in New Rochelle, New York.
  • Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin is quoted saying 70% of ICE arrests are of noncitizens charged or convicted of a crime in the U.S., and asserting that arrests include foreign fugitives, terrorists, and gang members without U.S. rap sheets.
  • The release points readers to WOW.DHS.Gov for additional public listings of arrests and alleged public-safety threats.
  • Locations mentioned across the named cases include Utah, Texas (Dallas County), Massachusetts (Boston), Michigan, Florida, and New York (New Rochelle).

Follow Up Questions

What definition does ICE/DHS use for the term "criminal illegal alien"?Expand

DHS/ICE do not have a single statutory definition labeled “criminal illegal alien.” In ICE materials the term is used informally to mean non‑U.S. nationals (aliens) who are removable and who have been charged with or convicted of crimes in the United States or who are identified by ICE’s Criminal Alien Program (CAP) as incarcerated or at‑large criminal aliens posing a public‑safety risk.

Sources
How is the claim that "70% of ICE arrests are of illegal aliens charged or convicted of a crime in the U.S." calculated and what time frame does it cover?Expand

ICE’s 70% claim is an agency statistic based on ERO enforcement case data; ICE/ERO publish arrest and conviction counts on their ERO statistics dashboards and in press releases, but the DHS release does not specify the exact numerator, denominator or date range. To verify the calculation you must consult ICE’s ERO Statistics dashboards (arrests by criminality) or request supporting data from ICE/DHS.

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What is WOW.DHS.Gov and what types of information or records are published there?Expand

WOW.DHS.gov ("Worst of the Worst") is a DHS webpage that publishes public-facing summaries and photos of noncitizens ICE has arrested and describes as ‘criminal illegal aliens,’ along with links to ICE press releases and the agency’s public listings of arrests and removals; it is not a court‑record repository.

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What is Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin’s role and authority within DHS?Expand

Tricia McLaughlin is Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at DHS (the press office lead). In that role she issues public statements for DHS and ICE enforcement actions but does not prosecute cases; operational arrest and prosecutorial authority resides with ICE/ERO, HSI, U.S. Attorneys and federal/state prosecutors.

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After ICE arrests, what are the typical next steps for criminal prosecution versus immigration removal proceedings?Expand

After an ICE arrest, criminal prosecutions (for federal/state crimes) follow ordinary criminal‑justice processes (local/state police, prosecutors, grand juries, trials, sentencing). Separately, ICE initiates civil immigration removal proceedings (administrative hearings before an immigration judge) or executes removal orders; some cases involve both criminal convictions (prosecuted by U.S. Attorneys or state prosecutors) and later ICE administrative removal actions.

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How can members of the public verify the convictions and court records referenced in the release?Expand

Members of the public can verify convictions and court records by searching: (1) state court dockets (state court websites or PACER for federal cases), (2) the PACER federal docket system for U.S. District Court records, (3) official U.S. Attorney or state prosecutor press releases, and (4) ICE/DHS press releases and the ERO Statistics dashboard; when records are not online, FOIA requests or clerk‑of‑court requests retrieve certified records.

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