The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)'s "Christmas gift to Americans" came early as agents pulled more illegal immigrants with criminal records off the streets.
"This holiday season, ICE is working around the clock to ensure silent nights and safer streets," DHS said transnational organized crime enterprise known as the South American Theft Group, according to DHS. He was convicted of burglary in Santa Ana, California.
Luis Enrique Castaneda-Reyes, an illegal immigrant from Colombia, has 10 criminal convictions, including for bank robbery by force and violent crimes involving drugs and a machine gun in the U.S. District Court for New Jersey.
Elidelfo Castro-Nava, an illegal immigrant from Mexico, was convicted of aggravated kidnapping and aggravated assault resulting in serious bodily injury in the third degree in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Juan Emerson Gomez-Sorto, who hails from El Salvador, was convicted of aggravated assault in Price, Utah.
Jesser Sandoval-Cruz, a Honduran national, was convicted of assault of a family/household member after a previous conviction in Harris County, Texas.
DHS said Friday that more than 2.5 million illegal immigrants have left the U.S. since President Donald Trump returned to office in January 2025. It added that the administration's sweeping crackdown has led to the "most secure border in American history."
"In less than a year, President Trump has delivered some of the most historic and consequential achievements in presidential history, and this administration is just getting started," Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement.
"Under President Trump’s leadership, we are making America safe again and putting the American people first," she said. "In record time, we have secured the border, taken the fight to cartels and arrested thousands upon thousands of criminal illegal aliens."
Fox News Digital's Michael Sinkewicz contributed to this report.