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Over 10,000 illegal immigrants, including murderers, kidnappers and sexual predators, have been arrested in Los Angeles since June, despite anti-ICE riots and pushback from sanctuary politicians, the Department of Homeland Security said.
The agency told Fox News that its enforcement operations, which began in June, were a “success” despite “violent rioters who assaulted our law enforcement, threw rocks and Molotov cocktails at them, and attempted to obstruct lawful arrests of criminal illegal aliens.”
The operations were carried out despite Los Angeles and California being sanctuary jurisdictions with laws inhibiting local and state authorities from cooperating with ICE.
The agency also received significant pushback from Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. The California legislature passed measures attempting to restrict federal agents from carrying out immigration enforcement arrests at schools, hospitals and courthouses and another banning agents from wearing masks, both of which were signed by Newsom.
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Federal officials were also faced with large anti-ICE demonstrations in Los Angeles, which at times broke into violent confrontations and riots. The worst of these erupted in June, with mobs blocking streets, vandalizing businesses and clashing with police. The chaos prompted a massive federal deployment and sharp pushback from California leaders, underscoring the escalating national showdown over immigration enforcement.
Despite this, DHS said that arrests continued in full force in Los Angeles.
Among those arrested was Mohamed Chekchekani, a criminal illegal alien from Kenya, who has been convicted of facilitating interstate commerce in aid of a racketeering enterprise, larceny and stolen property.
Also arrested was Cuban illegal Rene Reyes-Miranda, who has a long criminal history including convictions for a sex offense against a child, sex offender registration violation, harassment, cocaine possession and robbery.
Another illegal arrested in Los Angeles was Iranian national Alireza Hashemi, who has convictions of rape, aggravated assault, domestic violence, burglary, and driving under the influence.
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DHS also arrested another illegal, Mexican national Juan Carlos Tamayo, who has convictions of homicide, conspiracy to commit homicide, and multiple counts of attempted murder, was also arrested. Another illegal alien from Mexico, Yonic Telles-Sosa, was arrested in Los Angeles. He had been previously removed from the United States five times and has convictions for robbery and aggravated sexual assault of a child.
Two illegal aliens from Armenia, Ambartsoum Pogosium and Akop Jack Kantrozyan, were also arrested in Los Angeles. Pogosium has convictions of kidnapping, homicide and fraud, while Kantrozyan has convictions of identity theft, multiple counts of conspiracy to commit a crime and shooting at an inhabited dwelling/vehicle.
“In the face of violence from rioters and demonization by sanctuary politicians, DHS law enforcement has made over 10,000 arrests in Los Angeles since operations began in June. Some of the most heinous criminal illegal aliens arrested include murderers, kidnappers, sexual predators, and armed carjackers,” said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.
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McLaughlin called out Newsom and Bass, saying they “failed the people of California.”
“They let these criminals roam free. Thanks to our brave law enforcement, California is safer with these thugs off their streets,” she said, adding, “Instead of thanking our law enforcement for removing criminals from their communities, Gavin Newsom and Karen Bass repeatedly demonized our brave law enforcement during these operations.”
Diana Crofts-Pelayo, a spokesperson for Newsom, shot back, telling Fox News Digital that “this is all part of this sick game of cruelty and chaos that President and [Homeland Security Advisor] Stephen Miller are playing.”
“The reality is that their obsession with mass arrests, detention and deportations is spurring indiscriminate and racially-motivated immigration raids with serious societal and economic consequences,” said Crofts-Pelayo, adding, “They are arresting American citizens, hardworking parents and contributors to our economy, while also wasting taxpayer money to go after those who are legitimately going through the legal immigration process, like the spouses of U.S. citizens.”
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Crofts-Pelayo said that “California is on record to help ensure bad criminals have no place in our society, including coordinating with ICE when these people get out of our prisons,” saying, “We support public safety, while the Trump agenda is all for inflating headlines.”
A spokesperson for Bass also challenged DHS, saying in a statement to Fox News Digital, “Is this the same DHS Secretary that deports Veterans?”
The spokesperson’s comment referenced a Dec. 11 House Homeland Security Committee hearing in which Rep. Seth Magaziner, D-R.I., claimed DHS deported Sae Joon Park, a veteran and Purple Heart recipient, to Korea. According to NPR, though a decorated veteran, Park was not a citizen. The outlet reported he was arrested on drug-related charges and self-deported facing a removal order.
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