Kristi Noem Leads DHS, ICE Deportation Raid in Arizona

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem led an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deportation raid in Arizona on Tuesday.

According to the New York Post, Noem “led about 100 federal agents on an early morning raid” in Phoenix. During the “multi-agency” raid, which was led by Phoenix ICE agents, three illegal aliens who were wanted on charges relating to “weapons and drug offenses to running a money laundering operation,” were captured, according to the outlet.

Noem told the outlet that “the effort of cooperation” there was “between agencies is getting turned onto steroids,” and added that anyone in the United States illegally “that’s committing crimes and has broken our laws will face consequences.”

“The effort of cooperation we have between agencies is getting turned onto steroids,” Noem told the outlet. “We have this being multiplied across the country exponentially. Now anyone who’s in this country illegally that’s committing crimes and has broken our laws will face consequences.”

Per the outlet, one of the suspects who was arrested was Bonifacio Renteria-Cruz, who is an illegal alien “felon from Mexico with ties to the Sinaloa Cartel.” Another suspect who was arrested was Jose Escobar-Robles, who was “identified as helping run Monroy Enterprises, a money service business believed to be illegally funneling money to Mexico to benefit cartels.”

The first suspect arrested was Bonifacio Renteria-Cruz, an illegal migrant felon from Mexico with ties to the Sinaloa Cartel, according to DHS. His lengthy rap sheet includes prior convictions for aggravated assault, weapons charges, and an active arrest warrant in Mexico for homicide.

Renteria-Cruz had been ordered removed by an immigration official in 2008.

Next on the task force’s chopping block was illegal alien Jose Escobar-Robles, identified as helping run Monroy Enterprises, a money service business believed to be illegally funneling money to Mexico to benefit cartels engaged in drug smuggling and human trafficking.

Another suspect who was arrested was named Luis Garcia-Sanchez. According to DHS, Garcia-Sanchez is “allegedly connected to the notorious 18th Street Gang,” and is “wanted for felony narcotics charges” dating as far back as 1987, the outlet reported.

In a post on X, Noem highlighted how Arizona was “safer” after having conducted “a successful operation getting criminal illegal aliens and gang members” off the streets.

“Arizona is safer this morning after a successful operation getting criminal illegal aliens and gang members off our streets,” Noem said. “Thank you to our brave law enforcement officers.”

Noem continued to warn that illegal aliens in the U.S. would be found and arrested and sent back to their home countries.

“If you are in this country illegally, we will find you, arrest you, and send you back,” Noem said.