During a targeted operation aimed at criminal and illegal migrants, approximately 90 individuals who were in the country illegally were apprehended in and around Colony Ridge, Texas. This community, located outside Houston, is predominantly Hispanic.
On Monday morning, Governor Greg Abbott revealed that the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) troopers and special agents were providing assistance to Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). This collaboration was the result of extensive planning conducted over several months.
In an exclusive interview with Fox News, Tom Homan, the “border czar,” discussed his involvement in the operation and revealed that it is a crucial component of a broader criminal investigation.
During the investigation, Homan refrained from disclosing specific details but mentioned that the arrests made on Monday marked the initial phase. One of the individuals apprehended was Florentin Chevez-Luna, a 39-year-old criminal alien from El Salvador who had been deported three times before. ICE, in collaboration with Homeland Security Investigations and Texas DPS, apprehended Chevez-Luna in Plum Grove, Texas. According to ICE, he was wanted for multiple charges of sexual abuse of a minor between November 2008 and November 2016.
“This is a unique situation,” Homan stated. “Today, we are conducting a comprehensive criminal investigation into a network. The individuals we are targeting are mainly concentrated in that specific region.”
“The last number I saw was around 69 criminals,” Homan said. “I know for a fact, several child sexual predators were arrested.”
According to Homan, several illegal migrants who were apprehended had existing warrants and were arrested at their workplaces. Additionally, some were detained during traffic stops carried out by DPS.
“It wasn’t a community being targeted,” Homan said. “We have specific targets we are looking for. We know exactly what we are looking for and the crimes they had committed during this operation.”
Homan emphasized that their main focus is on criminal illegal migrants and national security threats. Nevertheless, he emphasized that anyone who is in the country illegally is also susceptible to deportation.
“Just because you prioritize one thing doesn’t mean you forget the other,” Homan said. “There are laws on the books. There is nothing in the Immigration and Nationality Act that says you got to commit yet another crime to be arrested by ICE officers. It is a crime to enter this country illegally. If you are in the county illegally, you got a problem. But again, we are going to prioritize criminals and public safety.”
Activist groups took to the streets of Colony Ridge to remind residents of their rights. On social media, nonprofit organization FIEL Houston emphasized the importance of exercising the right to remain silent and not opening the door without proper authorization.
The developers have faced their fair share of media attention, as they have been accused in federal and state lawsuits of exploiting Latino homebuyers through false marketing.
In an interview with Fox News, John Harris, the CEO of Colony Ridge, expressed his wholehearted support for this operation.
“We are grateful for the efforts of Governor Abbott, Tom Homan and all those involved in rooting out criminal illegals in Texas,” Harris said in a statement. “In fact, DPS officers have been working throughout Colony Ridge for more than two years. They know who the bad guys are, so we are fully supportive of these efforts. We also know that Colony Ridge remains one of the safest communities of its size anywhere in Texas, and we are proud of our residents and their desire to make this community a vibrant, happy, and safe place to live.”
According to the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office, the last week saw the arrest of three illegal migrants near Colony Ridge. These individuals had been deported on at least four previous occasions. Deputies made the arrest after discovering a staggering 350 pounds of meth.
Deputies conducted a traffic stop on Feb 12 as part of their investigation into the distribution of significant quantities of methamphetamines.
Gerson Lopez Zuniga was identified as the driver of the van, while Cruz Isidro Sandoval and Adan Aguirre Arzate were identified as the two passengers, according to authorities.
One of the passengers at the camper trailer admitted to having a significant quantity of meth, as confirmed by the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office.
During the investigation, authorities discovered 12 boxes labeled as “Iceberg Lettuce” containing around 156 kilograms (344 pounds) of methamphetamines.
