ICE issues detainers for alleged MS-13 members in Maryland teen murder case

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested three suspected MS-13 members on Thursday accused of murdering a 14-year-old boy in Maryland, Fox News has learned.

ICE says the three suspects, Alam Josai Garcia Padilla, Jose Vladimir Merlos-Majano and William Ariel Cuellar Guiterrez, are all illegal immigrants from El Salvador. Local authorities in College Park, Maryland say the victim, Jefferson Amaya-Ayala, was lured to a public park and murdered on August 2.

“This heinous murder of a child by members of the MS-13 gang is reprehensible. This murder was completely preventable. These three gang members had previous run-ins with law enforcement. ICE should have been notified following their arrests,” Deputy Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement.

“Joe Biden and sanctuary politicians have allowed gang members to terrorize our communities and RELEASED them from prisons after their arrests. Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, we have already arrested 7,000 gang members,” she added.

EXCLUSIVE: 17,500 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ARRESTED UNDER THE LAKEN RILEY ACT DURING TRUMP’S SECOND TERM

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has arrested the three criminal illegal aliens and MS-13 gang members accused of murdering a 14-year-old boy in College Park, Maryland. (J. Conrad Williams Jr./Newsday RM via Getty Images/DHS)

Two of the migrants, Garcia-Padilla and Guiterrez, were previously arrested and released during the administration of former President Joe Biden. Both had been indicted on gun-related charges.

Merlos has also previously been arrested for damage to public property and possession of a prohibited weapon.

MORE THAN 1,000 ARRESTED IN “MASSIVE” OPERATION IN MINNESOTA, INCLUDING MURDERS, RAPES AND PEDOPHILES

President Donald Trump’s administration has focused on capturing and deporting criminal illegal aliens across the country. Thursday’s arrests come after ICE launched Operation Catch of the Day. across Mainearresting more than 50 people since Tuesday.

Two illegal aliens are arrested by ICE in Maine. (Internal security)

DHS said the operation follows ongoing disagreements with Maine officials over cooperation with federal immigration law enforcement and comes as the administration increases pressure on jurisdictions it says are limiting apprehensions of criminal illegal aliens.

“Governor Mills and her fellow sanctuary policymakers in Maine have made it clear that they would rather stand with criminal illegal aliens than protect law-abiding American citizens,” McLaughlin said. “We launched Operation Catch of the Day to target the state’s worst illegal alien criminals.”

DHS highlighted the arrest of dozens of criminal aliens illegally present in the United States. (Bill Melugin/X and Department of Homeland Security)

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“On the first day of operations, we arrested illegal aliens convicted of aggravated assault, false imprisonment and endangering the welfare of a child,” she continued. “Under the leadership of President Trump and Secretary Noem, we will no longer allow criminal illegal aliens to terrorize American citizens.”