The violent illegal immigrants apprehended in massive raids around New York City beginning Tuesday had long been on the radar, but they were free until President Trump reentered the White House and allowed the government to “protect our cities,” according to a special agent overseeing the operation on Wednesday.
“These are targets that we have known about or targeted in previous enforcement efforts, but have not had the opportunity or backing to go out and hold them accountable,” Frank Tarentino, the special agent in charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) New York division, told Fox News.
That changed just days after Trump succeeded former President Joe Biden, whose immigration policies were heavily criticized for allowing millions of people to enter the nation illegally, including murders and gang members seeking safety in sanctuary communities.
Tarentino stated that the recent busts of at least 30 individuals in the Bronx, Manhattan, and Queens represent a renewed commitment to protecting cities by targeting violent drug traffickers and criminals who have violated immigration laws.
The federal law enforcement community has recommitted to restoring city safety, keeping Americans healthy, and instilling trust in their ability to defend them.
DEA agents were joined by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, DHS agents, the Secret Service, US Marshals, and the NYPD Special Operations team in the massive busts, which Tarentino described as a move to reclaim control of American cities.
The busts targeted migrants with warrants for offenses including as burglary, menacing, kidnapping, extortion, and violence, and resulted in the arrest of the suspected Tren de Aragua gang boss.
The DEA alone arrested five “career criminals,” federal authorities told The Post on Tuesday.
It was unclear how many arrests were made in New York City and throughout the country on Tuesday. On Monday, ICE reported 1,179 arrests and 853 detainers.
