DHS Arrests Multiple Sex Offenders and Violent Criminals in Minnesota Operation
Federal agents have arrested multiple sex offenders and violent criminals in Minnesota as part of a targeted operation aimed at apprehending undocumented immigrants with serious criminal histories, according to a Department of Homeland Security statement released Friday.
The arrests, conducted as part of “Operation Metro Surge,” included individuals convicted of sexual abuse of minors, aggravated sexual assault, domestic violence, and drug trafficking offenses, DHS officials announced.
“Just yesterday, DHS arrested multiple sex offenders, violent assailants, and drug traffickers in Minnesota,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “Our law enforcement are putting their lives on the line to arrest these public safety threats. We are calling on Minnesota politicians to allow us into their jails to arrest criminal illegal aliens instead of releasing them back into American communities.”
High-Profile Arrests
Among those detained was Ger Vang, a Laotian national convicted of sexual abuse of a minor and larceny, and Flavio Rodrigo-Panza of Ecuador, who had been convicted of aggravated sexual assault. Other arrests included Vong Chai Xiong, also from Laos, who had a third-degree criminal sexual assault conviction, and Luis Trejo-Miranda of Mexico, convicted of aggravated assault and DUI, according to DHS records.
The operation also netted Ezequiel Juarez-Arizmendi of Mexico, previously convicted of domestic assault and DWI, Antonio Onofre-Morales, convicted of possession of narcotics for sale, and Neri Ronaldo Castro, a Salvadoran national with convictions for vehicle theft and DUI.
But it’s not all straightforward. The operation comes amid tensions between federal immigration authorities and Minnesota state officials over detention policies and cooperation protocols.
Conflicting Claims
DHS has published what it calls a “Worst of the Worst” website listing 486 offenders arrested in Minnesota. However, questions have emerged about the circumstances of some arrests. At least 53 of those individuals were recently in federal custody within the past year, with arrest locations concentrated in federal prison cities like Sandstone (30), Rochester (17), and Waseca (6), local media reported.
How many detainer requests has Minnesota actually honored? The Minnesota Department of Corrections has identified 68 cases where it honored ICE detainers and provided proof of transfers, pushing back against federal characterizations of non-cooperation.
“Facts matter– so Minnesota will continue to correct the record as long as DHS distributes false information,” said a state corrections official quoted in local coverage.
McLaughlin’s statement indicated that DHS believes Minnesota is not doing enough, specifically calling on the state to “honor the ICE arrest detainers of the more than 1,360 illegal aliens in their custody” rather than releasing them.
The operation highlights the ongoing national debate over immigration enforcement priorities and the complex relationship between federal agencies and state authorities when it comes to public safety and immigration status — a tension unlikely to resolve anytime soon as both sides dig in with competing narratives about cooperation and responsibility.
