ICE says it arrested several named individuals in Maine on the operation's first day, listing their alleged convictions/charges

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enforcement

The named arrests were made and publicly reported by ICE as part of the operation.

Source summary

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced on Jan. 21, 2026 the launch of "Operation Catch of the Day," an enforcement effort across Maine to arrest noncitizens the agency labels as the "worst of the worst" criminal illegal aliens. ICE said the operation began the previous day and named several individuals arrested on charges including aggravated assault, false imprisonment, endangering the welfare of a child, and DUI. The agency framed the effort as a policy priority under President Trump and DHS Secretary Noem and included a statement from Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin criticizing Maine officials described as sanctuary advocates.

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Latest fact check

The Department of Homeland Security press release dated Jan. 21, 2026 announcing "Operation Catch of the Day" lists "Some of yesterday’s arrests" and names Dominic Ali (Sudan) — convicted of false imprisonment, aggravated assault, assault, obstructing justice, and violation of a protective order; Ambessa Berhe (Ethiopia) — convicted of aggravated assault and cocaine possession; Elmara Correia (Angola) — previously arrested for endangering the welfare of a child; and Dany Lopez-Cortez (Guatemala) — convicted of operating under the influence. Multiple reputable news outlets (WBUR, WGME, WMTW) reproduced and quoted the DHS/ICE release reporting these arrests on the first day of the operation. Verdict — True: the claim accurately reflects what DHS/ICE publicly reported on Jan. 21, 2026, naming those four individuals and the listed convictions/charges in its account of first-day arrests.

Sources

Timeline

Update · Jan 22, 2026, 03:08 AMTrue
The Department of Homeland Security press release dated Jan. 21, 2026 announcing "Operation Catch of the Day" lists "Some of yesterday’s arrests" and names Dominic Ali (Sudan) — convicted of false imprisonment, aggravated assault, assault, obstructing justice, and violation of a protective order; Ambessa Berhe (Ethiopia) — convicted of aggravated assault and cocaine possession; Elmara Correia (Angola) — previously arrested for endangering the welfare of a child; and Dany Lopez-Cortez (Guatemala) — convicted of operating under the influence. Multiple reputable news outlets (WBUR, WGME, WMTW) reproduced and quoted the DHS/ICE release reporting these arrests on the first day of the operation. Verdict — True: the claim accurately reflects what DHS/ICE publicly reported on Jan. 21, 2026, naming those four individuals and the listed convictions/charges in its account of first-day arrests.
Original article · Jan 21, 2026
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