ICE removes airplane hijacker among 1,361 violent criminals in Houston sweep

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested 1,361 illegal immigrants in the Houston area in June, which included individuals previously convicted of hijacking an airplane, homicide, sexual assault and more, the agency revealed.

ICE said in a press release that the illegal immigrants arrested in the Houston area in June are either currently charged with or have been convicted of a criminal offense. 

Of those arrested, 32 were previously convicted of child sex offenses, nine for homicide-related offenses, and 16 believed to be gang or drug cartel members. One person arrested by ICE was convicted of hijacking an airplane headed to Key West, Florida, from Cuba.

Gabriel Martinez, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Houston acting field office director, said some people tried to derail their mission.

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"Despite attempts by some to undermine our mission by spreading false and malicious rumors, the brave men and women of ICE continue to work tirelessly around the clock targeting dangerous criminal aliens to restore integrity to our nation's immigration system and bolster public safety in our communities," Martinez said. 

"The number of dangerous criminal aliens that they removed from local communities across Southeast Texas last month is just another example of their selfless and unyielding efforts to return our local communities to places where we can all raise our families without having to worry about child predators, gang members, or other violent criminal aliens preying on our loved ones," he continued.

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Among those arrested by ICE are: 

- 56-year-old Adermis Wilson-Gonzalez, convicted in 2003 of hijacking an airplane.

- 47-year-old Arnulfo Olivares Cervantes, convicted of trafficking cocaine, attempted murder, evading arrest, illegal entry and drug possession. According to ICE, he has entered the U.S. six times illegally.

- 29-year-old Luis Pablo Vasquez-Estolano, convicted of homicide, aggravated robbery, burglary of a vehicle and drug possession.

- 40-year-old Jose Meza, convicted of sexual assault of a minor and theft.

- 51-year-old Javier Escobar Gonzalez, convicted of sexual indecency with a minor, criminal trespass with a deadly weapon, driving while intoxicated and unauthorized use of a firearm.