DHS arrests more than 17,500 illegal immigrants for crimes under the Laken Riley Act

The Department of Homeland Security reported that under the leadership of President Donald Trump and Secretary Kristi Noem, more than 17,500 criminal illegal immigrants were arrested and detained for offenses under the Laken Riley Act.

The Laken Riley Act , the first piece of legislation signed by President Trump, mandates the federal detention of illegal immigrants charged with burglary, trespassing, assault on a law enforcement officer and any crime causing death or serious bodily injury.

The law is named after a Georgia nursing student killed by a Venezuelan illegal immigrant and member of the Tren de Aragua. He was previously arrested and released into the country during the Biden Administration in September 2022. Previously, he was arrested by the NYPD for acting in a manner that injured a 17-year-old minor and released in U.S. neighborhoods. Subsequently, he committed the murder of Laken Riley.

Earlier this week, Secretary Noem announced the end of Operation Angel's Honor, a 14-day nationwide operation, launched in honor of Laken Riley, targeting undocumented immigrants who committed Laken Riley Act-related crimes. In total, ICE arrested 1,030 undocumented immigrants during this operation.

"President Trump has empowered us to arrest and remove the millions of violent criminal illegal aliens unleashed on the United States by the previous administration. Now, these criminals will face justice and be removed from our country. We can never bring Laken back, but we can do everything in our power to bring these heinous criminals to justice. I am so proud of what our brave men and women of ICE have done to remove these criminals from America’s street," Noem said.