Violent offenders, sexual predators arrested in Minneapolis amid anti-ICE backlash

Despite widespread protests and intense pressure from local and state politicians to cease operations, the Department of Homeland Security said its agents continue to eliminate the “scourge” of sexual predators, violent attackers, domestic abusers and drug dealers from the streets of Minneapolis.

Immigration officials in the city have faced intense opposition from anti-ICE agitators, particularly since the fatal shooting of activist Renee Nicole Good. Despite this, DHS said its efforts in Minneapolis, dubbed “Operation Metro Surge,” continued to arrest illegal immigrants with significant criminal records.

Among those arrested by DHS agents this week was Teng Houa Vang, an illegal alien from Thailand, who the agency said was convicted of domestic violence and pleaded guilty to terroristic threats and violating a protection order. He was also charged with arson, peeping tom, obstructing police, trespassing, assault, drug possession and property damage.

Another, Michael Opeoluwa Egbele, from Nigeria, was arrested by immigration officials on Tuesday and convicted of fraud and identity theft.

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From left to right: Teng Houa Vang, Francisco Salazar-Solorzano, Victor Javier Bahena-Sandoval, Lorenzo Armillas Llaurado, Santiago Antunes Mendiola and Michael Opeoluwa Egbele. (Christopher Juhn/Anadolu via Getty Images; DHS)

A third, Francisco Salazar-Solorzano, of El Salvador, was also arrested Tuesday and charged with assault, domestic violence and driving under the influence of alcohol.

Illegal Mexican immigrant Victor Javier Bahena-Sandoval was also arrested in Minneapolis and has a criminal history that includes an arrest for domestic violence and convictions on four counts of disorderly conduct and illegal reentry. Another Mexican national, Santiago Antunes Mendiola, was arrested the same day and charged with battery.

Spanish national Lorenzo Armillas Llaurado was also arrested and convicted of felony distribution of a controlled substance.

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Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents question a man about his status on Lake Street near the Karmel Mall in Minnesota on December 10, 2025. (Christophe Juhn/Anadolu via Getty Images)

In a statement released Wednesday, DHS Deputy Secretary Tricia McLaughlin reiterated: “We are in Minnesota to stop the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens. »

McLaughlin said Democratic Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey “refuse to let us into their prisons and have instead chosen to release criminal illegal aliens into Minnesota neighborhoods to victimize more Americans.”

“Despite the violence against them and the lack of cooperation from sanctuary politicians, our law enforcement will not stop their efforts to remove criminals from our country,” McLaughlin continued. “Another day, another plague of sexual predators, violent abusers, domestic abusers and drug dealers arrested on the streets of Minnesota by our law enforcement.”

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Federal agents deploy tear gas as anti-ICE agitators move through a smoke-filled street during an immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis on January 13, 2026. (Mostafa Bassim/Anadolu via Getty Images)

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Fox News Digital reached out to Walz and Frey’s offices but did not immediately receive a response.