Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced on Tuesday, July 16th, 2026, that its Harlingen, Texas, field office in the Rio Grande Valley arrested 238 illegal immigrants in a single-day enforcement operation. This operation set a record for the highest number of targeted arrests in one day in the region.

The June 18th operation involved cooperation with law enforcement partners and resulted in the detention of individuals with prior convictions including attempted kidnapping, sexual battery, drug possession, and other offenses. Among those arrested was Manuel Morales-Geronimo, identified by ICE as a member of the Paisas gang, with convictions for assault causing bodily injury, possession of controlled substances, driving while intoxicated, and multiple illegal entries into the United States. Another individual, Jose Alfredo Castillo-Mendoza, was arrested after previous convictions for attempted kidnapping, sexual battery, and illegal reentry.

ICE described the operation as "one of ICE's most important and effective Crime Fighting tools," emphasizing their commitment to enhancing public safety and restoring integrity to the nation’s immigration system. The agency stated, "We will stop at nothing to keep our American communities safe by removing one criminal illegal alien at a time."

Separately, the Justice Department and FBI announced the arrest of eight alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, charged with kidnappings and murders in Texas and Illinois.

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