U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested 426 undocumented immigrants across Indiana during a five-day operation concluding in early September. Titled Operation Safe Community-Indiana, the targeted enforcement focused heavily on the Indianapolis metropolitan area while sweeping the entire state for individuals with serious criminal histories.
Federal immigration authorities carried out a sweeping, five-day enforcement blitz across Indiana between Aug. 30 and Sept. 3. The coordinated action, designated as Operation Safe Community-Indiana by Enforcement and Removal Operations, targeted noncitizens with documented criminal records ranging from violent offenses to drug trafficking.
Most of the arrests during the intensive crackdown occurred in Indianapolis, the state’s capital city and population center, though immigration officers also executed targeted immigration enforcement actions throughout the entirety of the state. The operation closely follows similar operations in Atlanta and the Washington, D.C. area. Indiana falls under ICE Chicago’s operational jurisdiction.
Criminal History and Gang Affiliations Target by ICE in Indiana
Those taken into custody during the five-day sweep included individuals with extensive felony backgrounds. Federal officials reported apprehending offenders with criminal histories that include sex crimes, assault and battery, domestic assault, drug trafficking, assault with a dangerous weapon, other weapons crimes, fraud, Identity theft, burglary, property damage, driving while intoxicated, public order crimes and more.
Beyond general criminal histories, federal authorities confirmed that ICE officers arrested members of transnational criminal street gangs such as MS-13, 18th Street, and Tren de Aragua.
William Humberto Giron, a criminal illegal alien from El Salvador whose criminal history includes sexual battery, confinement, intimidation, inflicting corporal injury on a spouse or cohabitant, DWI with bodily injury, failure to identify self and illegal reentry of a deported alien.
Deyron Diaz-Fernandez, a criminal illegal alien from Nicaragua whose criminal history includes aggravated assault with a deadly weapon on a public officer criminal recklessness with a deadly weapon, resisting law enforcement, leaving the scene of a crash with property damage, DWI and driving without a license.
Jose Juan Senovio, an illegal alien from Mexico and validated member of the Surenos 13 street gang whose criminal history includes numerous drug crimes and failure to appear in court.
Nicolas Lopez, a criminal illegal alien from Mexico whose criminal history includes domestic battery, aggravated discharge of a firearm, criminal trespassing, DWI and possessing a firearm without a valid firearm ID.
Rhod Offerley Neptune, a criminal illegal alien from Haiti whose criminal history includes burglary, illegal possession of a firearm and resisting a law enforcement officer.
Mario David Falla-Perez, a criminal illegal alien from Guatemala whose criminal history includes domestic assault and battery, public records forgery, identity theft, false status documents and credit card larceny.
Federal Leadership and Local Law Enforcement Coordination
Federal immigration leaders credited the operation’s high arrest figures to close cooperation between federal agents and state and local law enforcement partners across the state. Indiana falls under ICE Chicago’s operational jurisdiction.
“Operation Safe Community-Indiana reflects ICE’s continued commitment to protecting Hoosier communities by working alongside our state and local law enforcement partners to arrest and remove criminal alien offenders who pose threats to public safety,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations acting Assistant Director Patricia Hyde. “Over the course of this five-day operation, ICE officers, in coordination with state and local law enforcement partners, arrested 426 illegal alien offenders across Indiana, including individuals with criminal histories involving sex crimes, assault, domestic violence, drug trafficking, weapons offenses and more. This operation underscores the fact that when law enforcement agencies cooperate, the American people are safer. We thank our state and local partners for their support and continued commitment to protecting communities across Indiana and the nation.”
Patricia Hyde, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Acting Assistant Director
Agency officials emphasized that the operation displays Secretary Mullin’s commitment to arresting and deporting criminal illegal aliens from American communities and is in keeping with President Trump’s promise to make America safe again.
“ICE officers worked relentlessly to locate, arrest and remove more than 400 illegal aliens from the streets of our Indiana communities during this brief but intense operation,” said ICE Chicago Deputy Field Office Director Raymond Hernandez. “Operations like this make for safer American neighborhoods. Every alien arrested during this operation was in violation of U.S. immigration law, and Indiana is safer today as a result of the hard work of our ICE officers.”
Raymond Hernandez, ICE Chicago Deputy Field Office Director
State and local law enforcement support proved vital during the rapid five-day execution. The agency noted that every alien arrested during this operation was in violation of U.S. immigration law, and Indiana is safer today as a result of the hard work of ICE officers.
5-day ICE operation in Indiana ends in more than 400 arrests
