Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers arrested 243 undocumented immigrants across the Denver area in a recent operation that wrapped up on Sunday, according to Fox News.
ICE reported that every individual taken into custody faced criminal charges or had prior convictions beyond illegal entry into the U.S. Among those arrested were a murder suspect, a human trafficking suspect, five individuals charged with or convicted of sex crimes, nine facing drug-related charges, 13 linked to assault, eight involved in theft, and 17 with DUI offenses.
“This operation shows our firm dedication to protecting our communities,” said Robert Guadian, director of ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Denver. “Through collaboration with federal agencies, we’ve captured individuals who pose serious threats to public safety.
“We will keep working to fight crime and uphold the law,” he continued. “Many of the individuals ICE detained had previously been released into the Denver metro area by local jails due to Colorado’s sanctuary laws, which block cooperation with ICE.”
The agency noted that the immigrants came from several parts of the world, including countries in South America, Spain, Romania, China, Jordan, and Algeria.
ICE identified nine individuals as suspected or confirmed members of transnational gangs, including Tren de Aragua, the Sinaloa cartel, and Los Zetas.
Several arrests stood out due to the seriousness of the charges. Rigoberto Carranza-Mendez, 47, had been convicted of murder and DUI and has already been deported. Blanca Ochoa Tello, 36, was found with 20,000 fentanyl pills during her arrest. Javier Ulises Sanchez-Andazola, 24, had previous convictions for child sexual assault and DUI.
Tomas Arana-Fuentes, 49, faces charges including sexual assault of a helpless victim, non-consensual sexual assault, and sexual assault on someone unable to understand their situation.
ICE stated that at least 50 of those arrested had existing removal orders.
The operation took place amid a rise in arrests of undocumented immigrants with additional criminal convictions during the early months of President Donald Trump’s term.
In eight western states — Utah, Idaho, Nevada, Montana, Arizona, Colorado, Wyoming, and California — the monthly arrest rate has nearly tripled since January.
This surge comes as cities like Los Angeles continue to push back against ICE raids targeting criminal immigrants.
Meanwhile, attacks on ICE officers have spiked by 830% compared to 2024, according to Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons, who spoke with CBS’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday.
“I believe the sharp rise in anti-ICE rhetoric, especially from some elected officials, is directly fueling these increased assaults on our officers,” he said.
Katie is a senior who has been on staff for three years. Her favorite type of stories to write is reviews and features. Katie’s favorite ice cream flavor is strawberry.
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