The Houston Field Office of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has arrested 214 illegal immigrants accused or convicted of sex offenses involving minors over the past six months, surpassing the total arrests for the entire 2024 fiscal year. According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), 211 such arrests were made in 2024.
Of those 214 arrested, 179 had final removal orders issued by immigration judges, and 141 have already been deported.
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin praised ICE Houston’s efforts, stating, “Thanks to ICE Houston, 214 less pedophiles on our streets. These are the type of perverted predators ICE is targeting and removing from our country.” She emphasized the Trump administration’s hard stance against child predators, warning offenders to leave the U.S. or face deportation.
Some notable arrests include:
Gabriel Julio Velazquez Lopez, 25, from Mexico, convicted of child sexual assault and assault with intent to rape. He illegally entered the U.S. four times since 2016. Arrested April 8, 2025, and deported April 10, 2025.
Roberto Antonio Caballero-Garcia, 31, from El Salvador, convicted in 2017 for three counts of child sexual assault and given 10 years deferred adjudication. Arrested and deported May 5, 2025.
Carlos Alfredo Lopez Espinal, 45, from El Salvador, convicted of sexual indecency with a minor in March 2025. Arrested July 18, 2025.
Meliton Gonzalez, 76, from Mexico, convicted of child sexual assault in 2015 and sentenced to 10 years. Present in the U.S. illegally since 1976, deported June 12, 2025.
Mario Ramirez Martinez, 71, from Mexico, convicted of two counts of child sexual assault in Hidalgo County, Texas. Served 10 years in prison; arrested and deported June 2, 2025.
The Houston ICE Field Office continues to prioritize identifying and removing sexual predators from the community, working alongside DHS and other law enforcement agencies.
