ICE arrests nearly 250 people in targeted operation across Denver metro area
DENVER, Colo. (KRDO) – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said it arrested nearly 250 people in a targeted nine-day operation across the Denver metro area last week.
According to ICE, in an operation run from July 12 to July 20, the agency arrested 243 people who are "currently charged with or have been convicted of criminal offenses after illegally entering the United States."
Of those, 50 are reportedly subject to removal orders, ICE said. No specifics were given about where or how the individuals were taken into custody.
"By partnering with federal agencies, we have successfully apprehended individuals who pose a significant threat to public safety," ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Denver Field Office Director Robert Guadian said. "We will continue to work diligently to combat crime and uphold the rule of law."
In the arrest announcement, ICE provided an "at-a-glance criminality," which outlined the number of immigrants reportedly arrested for certain crimes, including:
- Homicide: 2
- Assault: 13
- Sex offenses: 5
- Human Trafficking: 1
- Drug offenses: 9
- Theft: 8
- DUI: 17
Other crimes included " criminal impersonation, carrying a concealed weapon, false reporting, child cruelty, intimidation, hit-and-run, illegal entry and illegal reentry," ICE said.
The agency also said that some of the people who were arrested are suspected or confirmed gang members, including Los Zetas (1), Tren de Aragua (4), Sinaloa Cartel (1), and "other organizations" (3).
ICE released the names of only eight of those offenders in a press release on Wednesday; of those, five had prior criminal convictions and one had pending charges, the agency said.
The announcement of the mass arrests comes just a day after the Trump administration claimed that in Colorado, there have been "almost five times as many" ICE arrests this year compared to last.
According to the administration, from Jan. 20, 2025 – the day of Trump's second inauguration – through June 26 of this year, there have been 2,243 arrests across Colorado and Wyoming, compared to 489 during the same period in 2024.
Stay up to date with the latest local news, sports, and investigations by downloading the KRDO13 app. Click here to download it from the Apple App Store. Android users can download it from Google Play here.
