In a sweeping five-day raid, ICE nabbed 133 illegal immigrants in New York including three convicted murderers, proving Trump’s “Operation Take Back America” isn’t just tough talk—it’s action.
At a Glance
- ICE arrested 133 illegal immigrants across New York state during a targeted five-day operation between March 24-28
- 20 arrestees had criminal records, including three convicted murderers and individuals guilty of sexual conduct with a child
- The operation is part of President Trump’s broader “Operation Take Back America” initiative which has already deported over 100,000 migrants since January 20
- Nine arrestees were previously deported foreign nationals who had illegally re-entered the country
- Multiple federal agencies collaborated in the operation, executing four search warrants and making 18 additional administrative arrests
ICE Finally Gets to Do Its Job
Remember when we had a federal immigration agency that actually enforced immigration laws? Well, they’re back in business, folks. After years of being handcuffed by leftist policies that turned them into glorified Uber drivers for illegal border crossers, ICE is finally doing what American taxpayers have been funding them to do all along. The five-day operation across New York state wasn’t some symbolic gesture—it was a coordinated strike against individuals who had no legal right to be here, including dozens with serious criminal histories.
The operation targeted multiple areas across New York state, with 84 arrests in the Buffalo and Rochester regions and another 49 from Syracuse, Albany, Rouses Point, and Massena. This wasn’t random harassment as the open-borders crowd would have you believe—these were strategic arrests of individuals who had either violated our immigration laws, committed crimes on American soil, or both. And not petty crimes, mind you. We’re talking murder, sexual assault of children, and drug trafficking—the exact nightmare scenarios conservatives have been warning about while being branded as “xenophobes” for years.
Murderers, Predators, and Repeat Offenders
Among the 133 individuals arrested, 20 had serious criminal records. Three were convicted murderers. Let that sink in. Three people who had already been convicted of taking human lives were wandering around New York state freely. Others were convicted of manslaughter, sexual conduct with children, and possessing child pornography. These aren’t the “dreamers” and “hardworking folks seeking a better life” that leftist politicians constantly showcase in their emotional appeals. These are exactly the people that any sane immigration system would keep out.
“The success of this enhanced enforcement operation underscores the importance of utilizing a whole-of-government approach when protecting the public from criminal aliens and dangerous individuals living in our western, central, and northern New York communities,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Buffalo Special Agent in Charge Erin Keegan.
Even more telling is that nine of those arrested had previously been deported. They didn’t just accidentally wander into America—they were formally removed and then deliberately defied U.S. law to return illegally. This is exactly what happens when there are no serious consequences for breaking immigration laws. When deportation becomes a revolving door rather than a meaningful enforcement mechanism, is anyone surprised that some people treat it as a minor inconvenience rather than a serious legal action?
A Real National Security Strategy
This operation wasn’t just ICE working alone—it involved a whole-of-government approach including the FBI, DEA, CBP, ATF, U.S. Marshals Service, and multiple other federal agencies. Four criminal search warrants were executed, targeting locations suspected of harboring illegal immigrants, resulting in 18 additional administrative arrests and the seizure of evidence for ongoing investigations. This is what actual border security looks like: coordinated, intelligence-driven, and focused on removing the most dangerous offenders first.
“By leveraging our federal partnerships and intelligence-driven investigations, ICE continues to carry out its mission in a way that best serves national security, public safety and border security,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Buffalo acting Deputy Field Office Director Philip Rhoney. “I am grateful for the professionalism, dedication and support from all of our partners during this week-long operation to remove dangerous alien offenders from our New York communities.”
The New York operation is just one component of “Operation Take Back America”—President Trump’s broader initiative that has already deported over 100,000 migrants and arrested 113,000 others since January 20th. After four years of an administration that essentially dismantled immigration enforcement and created the worst border crisis in American history, we’re finally seeing what happens when the federal government takes its constitutional duty to protect the homeland seriously.
The Cost of Open Borders
Let’s be clear about what American communities have endured during the previous administration’s open borders experiment. Millions of unvetted individuals pouring across our borders. Deadly fentanyl killing tens of thousands of Americans annually. Criminal gangs like MS-13 expanding their reach. Human trafficking networks exploiting vulnerable migrants. And local communities forced to absorb massive costs for education, healthcare, and public services without any federal support. The 133 arrests in New York are just the tip of an iceberg created by years of deliberate policy failures.
The left will undoubtedly condemn these enforcement actions as “cruel” or “inhumane,” but where was their concern for humanity when American citizens were being murdered, assaulted, and victimized by individuals who had no legal right to be in the country? Where was their compassion for the American families torn apart by fentanyl deaths and violent crime?
Their selective outrage has always been reserved for enforcing laws they personally disagree with, not for protecting American citizens who suffer the consequences of their reckless policies.
