HSI and Texas agents arrest 90 illegal immigrants - but this is only the beginning in the investigation | Law Enforcement Today

HOUSTON, TX - In an exclusive report from Fox News, Texas Governor Greg Abbott confirmed that Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents conducted a successful operation resulting in nearly 90 arrests of illegal immigrants.

Roughly 90 illegal immigrants were arrested in and around Colony Ridge, Texas, a largely Hispanic development outside Houston, during an operation targeting criminal and illegal immigrants. On Monday morning, February 24th, Governor Abbott announced on X that Texas DPS troopers and special agents were assisting HSI investigators with the operation after months of planning.

Border czar Tom Homan sat down with Fox News after he joined the operation. He confirmed that it was part of a "larger criminal investigation." Although Homan couldn't reveal in-depth details about the investigation, he referred to the dozens of arrests as "phase one." Among those arrested was 39-year-old Florentin Chevez-Luna, a three-time previously deported criminal illegal immigrant from El Salvador.

ICE Homeland Security Investigations and Texas DPS took him into custody in Plum Grove, Texas. According to ICE, he had a criminal arrest warrant for alleged repeated sexual abuse of a minor over an eight-year period from November 2008 to November 2016. 

Homan said, "This is something a little different today. You know, this is a larger criminal investigation into a network. And a lot of people we were interested in were located in that area." According to Homan, he is still waiting on the exact number of arrests but said the majority of illegal immigrants taken into custody had criminal backgrounds.

Homan said, "The last number I saw was around 69 criminals. I know for a fact, several child sexual predators were arrested." He said some of the illegal immigrants arrested had warrants and were arrested at worksites, while others were picked up during traffic stops conducted by DPS. Homan said, "It wasn't a community being targeted. We have specific targets we are looking for. We know exactly what we are looking for and the crimes they had committed during this operation."

Homan confirmed that their top priority is criminal illegal immigrants and national security threats. However, he did make clear that anyone in the country illegally is also at risk of deportation. He said, "Just because you prioritize one thing doesn't mean you forget the other. There are laws on the books. There is nothing in the Immigration and Nationality Act that says you got to commit yet another crime to be arrested by ICE officers. 

It is a crime to enter this country illegally. If you are in the country illegally, you got a problem. But again, we are going to prioritize criminals and public safety." The Colony Ridge CEO, John Harris, told Fox News that he was in full support of this operation. He said, "We are grateful for the efforts of Governor Abbott, Tom Homan, and all those involved in rooting out criminal illegals in Texas."

He added, "In fact, DPS officers have been working throughout Colony Ridge for more than two years. They know who the bad guys are, so we are fully supportive of these efforts. We also know that Colony Ridge remains one of the safest communities of its size anywhere in Texas, and we are proud of our residents and their desire to make this community a vibrant, happy, and safe place to live."

The week prior, three illegal immigrants who had been deported at least four other times were arrested near Colony Ridge, after deputies found 350 pounds of meth. On February 12th, deputies conducted a traffic stop during an investigation into the distribution of large amounts of methamphetamines.