U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced Tuesday that its Harlingen, Texas, field office arrested 238 individuals in a single-day operation, setting a record for targeted arrests in the Rio Grande Valley.
The June 18 operation was conducted with local law enforcement partners and resulted in the detention of individuals with prior convictions including attempted kidnapping, sexual battery, and drug possession.
The Harlingen Field Office Director stated that the agency's mission centers on enhancing public safety and restoring integrity to the immigration system through the removal of individuals with criminal records.
Among those arrested was Manuel Morales-Geronimo, a Mexican national and identified gang member with prior convictions for assault, drug possession, and multiple illegal reentry offenses.
Also detained was Jose Alfredo Castillo-Mendoza, a Mexican national previously convicted of attempted kidnapping, sexual battery, and illegal reentry.
The operation follows the administration's broader effort to increase removals of individuals with criminal histories from communities nationwide.
The announcement coincided with public pushback against a reported pause on most immigration-related traffic stops, which was criticized as undermining a key enforcement tool.
Officials argued that traffic stops remain one of the most effective methods for identifying and apprehending individuals who pose public safety threats.
