ICE arrests 1,361 criminal aliens in Houston area in June

HOUSTON — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested 1,361 illegal aliens in the Houston area during the month of June who are currently charged with, or have been convicted of, a criminal offense after illegally entering the United States. Among the criminal aliens arrested were 32 aliens convicted of child sex offenses, nine aliens convicted for homicide-related offenses, 16 documented members of a transnational gang or drug cartel, and one alien convicted for hijacking an airplane on its way to Key West from Cuba.

“Despite attempts by some to undermine our mission by spreading false and malicious rumors, the brave men and women of ICE continue to work tirelessly around the clock targeting dangerous criminal aliens to restore integrity to our nation’s immigration system and bolster public safety in our communities,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Houston acting Field Office Director Gabriel Martinez. “The number of dangerous criminal aliens that they removed from local communities across Southeast Texas last month is just another example of their selfless and unyielding efforts to return our local communities to places where we can all raise our families without having to worry about child predators, gang members, or other violent criminal aliens preying on our loved ones.”

Among the criminal aliens arrested in June by the ICE ERO Houston field office were: 

• Adermis Wilson-Gonzalez, a 56-year-old criminal alien from Cuba, arrested by ICE June 29 who was convicted in 2003 of hijacking an airplane traveling from Cuba to Key West, Florida.
• Arnulfo Olivares Cervantes, a 47-year-old criminal alien from Mexico and former Mexicles gang member, arrested by ICE June 13 who has illegally entered the U.S. six times and been convicted twice for trafficking cocaine, and once for attempted murder, evading arrest, illegal entry, and drug possession.
• Luis Pablo Vasquez-Estolano, a 29-year-old, six-time deported criminal alien from Mexico, arrested by ICE June 10 who has been convicted of homicide, aggravated robbery, burglary of a vehicle, and drug possession.
• Jose Meza, a 40-year-old criminal alien from Mexico, arrested by ICE June 24 who has illegally entered the U.S. four times and been convicted of sexual assault of a minor and theft.
• Javier Escobar Gonzalez, a 51-year-old criminal alien from Mexico, arrested by ICE June 23 who has been convicted of sexual indecency with a minor, criminal trespass with a deadly weapon, driving while intoxicated, and unauthorized use of a firearm.

The arrests were part of the ERO Houston field office’s routine immigration enforcement activities being conducted alongside federal, state and local law enforcement agencies daily throughout Southeast Texas to enhance public safety, national security and border security.

To learn more about ICE’s mission to combat illegal immigration in Southeast Texas follow us on X at @EROHouston.