Three sex offenders, including one wanted in New York on child sex crimes, were arrested at the Texas border under Operation Predator as the Trump administration ramps up its crackdown on criminal aliens.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection, as of March, has made 5,313 arrests based on National Crime Information Center records, which includes many sex offenders. Operation Predator is Homeland Security’s flagship initiative targeting child sex predators.
President Trump and DHS have prioritized removing illegals with criminal records, taking a new approach to increase arrests under Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin.
“We’re still enforcing immigration laws. We’re still deporting illegals that shouldn’t be here. We’re still going after the worst of the worst — but we’re doing it in a more quiet way,” Mullin told CNBC in April.
Mullin, in a change of pace from predecessor Kristi Noem, has let agents do their jobs without making flashy trips to arrest sites to video the work in action.
The three men apprehended in Texas were a U.S. citizen and illegal aliens from Mexico and Honduras who were wanted on outstanding felony warrants for sex-related offenses.
CBP officers assigned to the Laredo Field Office made the arrests on April 30th, including a man wanted for several felony accounts of sexual abuse in New York.
“Put simply, you can run, but you can’t hide,” said Donald Kusser, director of field operations at Laredo. “These are among the most heinous offenses we encounter and apprehensions like these not only illustrate the importance of our border security mission but also drive home the important role we play in protecting our communities.”
Pedro Garcia Martinez, 44, a Mexican citizen, was apprehended at Laredo’s Juarez-Lincoln Bridge after officers discovered he was the subject of active felony warrants in New York for first-degree rape, first-degree sexual abuse, second-degree course of sexual conduct against a child, and second-degree predatory sexual assault against a child.
Additionally at that stop, officers arrested Allan Josue Cabrera Maradiaga, 49, a Honduran citizen, who is the subject of an active felony warrant for sexual assault issued by the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office in Chalmette, La.
Finally, officers arrested Jesus Hernandez Resendez, 53, a U.S. citizen, arriving from Mexico as a vehicle driver at the Anzalduas International Bridge. Hernandez is charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child in Texas.
CBP uses biometric verification and federal law enforcement databases to verify people’s identity and the criminal charges.
