THE FOLLOW UP
Feb 06, 2026 · dhs.gov
Niche News

ICE says it arrested multiple noncitizens convicted of violent crimes and drug offenses across several U.S. jurisdictions

Interesting: 0/0 • Support: 0/0Log in to vote
Read original articleBack to Feed

Key takeaways

  • DHS/ICE issued a Feb. 6, 2026 press release announcing arrests of multiple noncitizens previously convicted of violent crimes and drug trafficking offenses.
  • The release names five individuals and lists their alleged convictions and locations: Osvaldo Rivero-Ledesma (Cuba) — murder in Rusk County, Texas; Pablo Caballero (Honduras) — murder in Mineola, New York; Luis Enrique Barrios-Ixcolin (Guatemala) — involuntary manslaughter and carrying a loaded firearm in San Francisco, California; Andres Linares-Cardenas (Cuba) — assault in New York, New York; Carlos Quintero-Palafox (Mexico) — possession with intent to distribute crystal meth in Kansas City, Missouri.
  • Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin is quoted criticizing "sanctuary politicians" and stating that ICE officers are continuing arrests of public safety threats.
  • The release directs readers to WOW.DHS.gov for more publicized arrests; it does not provide detailed information in the release about custody status, removal proceedings, or court dates for the named individuals.

Follow Up Questions

What does the phrase "criminal illegal alien" mean in legal and immigration terms? Does it indicate conviction, immigration status, or both?Expand

"Criminal illegal alien" is not a single legal term but a descriptive phrase used by DHS/ICE to mean a noncitizen (an "alien" under federal law) who is both removable or present without lawful status and has been convicted of, or is accused of, criminal conduct. "Illegal" refers to immigration status (e.g., unlawfully present or removable); "criminal" refers to criminal convictions or arrests. The INA treats immigration status and criminal convictions separately but makes certain convictions grounds for removal.

Sources
What legal authority and processes allow ICE to arrest and remove noncitizens who were previously convicted of crimes?Expand

ICE derives authority from the Immigration and Nationality Act and DHS delegations (e.g., 8 U.S.C. §1103). Statutory provisions allow ICE to arrest, detain, and place noncitizens into removal proceedings (see 8 U.S.C. §§1226, 1227, 1231). ICE’s Criminal Alien Program and Institutional Hearing and Removal Program identify incarcerated convicted noncitizens, place detainers, take custody after sentences, and initiate removal in immigration court (EOIR).

Sources
What is WOW.DHS.gov and what type of information does DHS publish there?Expand

WOW.DHS.gov ("Worst of the Worst") is a DHS public website that aggregates and publishes information on noncitizens DHS identifies as convicted or alleged criminals who were arrested by DHS/ICE; it includes searchable case summaries and press releases about those arrests and enforcement actions.

Sources
Who or which jurisdictions is the release referring to when it says "sanctuary politicians," and what policies define a sanctuary jurisdiction?Expand

"Sanctuary politicians" refers broadly to elected officials or local jurisdictions that limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. "Sanctuary" policies vary but commonly include refusing to honor ICE civil immigration detainers, declining to share immigration status with ICE, or prohibiting local enforcement of federal immigration law. Definitions and practices differ by city/state and by local ordinances or policies.

Sources
What are the current custody, court, or removal statuses for the five named individuals?Expand

The DHS press release does not provide custody, court or removal status for the five named individuals; that information is not included in the release and was not publicly provided there.

How can members of the public verify the arrests or find court records and official case documents for the named individuals?Expand

To verify arrests or find official case documents, members of the public can: 1) search federal and state court records (PACER for federal courts; state court online portals for state cases); 2) search EOIR/immigration court records (via EOIR or case lookup tools such as EOIRs automated systems or FOIA requests to ICE/DHS); and 3) check local law enforcement or county jail inmate rosters and press releases and DHS/ICE press pages (including WOW.DHS.gov).

Sources

Comments

Only logged-in users can comment.
Loading…