FIRST ON FOX: Following a weekend of violent anti-ICE protests in Portland and Chicago, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem shared a message to federal law enforcement officials who continued operations despite the danger: “I have your backs.”
In a statement shared with Fox News Digital, Noem called the anti-ICE activists “violent anarchists” who she said would like to tear down the country.
“Our brave men and women of law enforcement are being targeted and attacked by violent anarchists who seek to tear down America,” said Noem.
“I want each and every member of law enforcement to know this: President Trump and I have your backs,” she went on, while urging others to “stand with ICE as they continue to protect and defend our homeland.”
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DHS shared that despite agents being hit with multiple vehicle attacks by “domestic terrorists” over the weekend, ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials continued operations in Chicago as part of Operation Midway Blitz, which the agency said “protect[s] American communities from the crime that sanctuary policies allow.”
In a statement to Fox News Digital, DHS said some of the “worst of the worst” criminal illegal aliens arrested over the weekend included a foreign terrorist organization member, drug traffickers, child abusers, violent offenders and other repeat offenders.
Agents arrested Wilmer Alexander Gonzalez Garaban, a Venezuelan criminal illegal alien and confirmed member of the “Tren de Aragua” gang, a criminal group behind several brutal killings, which has been designated by the Trump administration as a foreign terrorist organization. Gonzalez Garaban has a criminal history of theft and resisting an officer, according to DHS.
Another Venezuelan illegal arrested over the weekend was Abrahan Alfonzo Jimenez Rodriguez, who has charges of resisting an officer, vehicle theft, aggravated assault with a weapon, obstructing justice and aggravated assault with a gun, DHS said.
Also arrested was Mexican national Luis Arroyo-Telles, who DHS said has convictions for fraud, licensing violation and cruelty toward a child. Agents also arrested another Mexican national, Arturo Guzman, who DHS said illegally re-entered the U.S. twice and has convictions for drug trafficking and selling amphetamines.
Another arrested was Uriel Alvarez-Meneses, also from Mexico, who has eight prior convictions, including multiple driving under the influence and traffic offenses and a prior hit-and-run charge.
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Similarly, Mexican illegals Ricardo Gervasio-Gervasio and Pedro Navajas-Contreras were arrested and have convictions for cocaine possession, driving under the influence of liquor and dangerous drugs and three prior convictions for driving under the influence, respectively.
On Saturday morning, federal agents were rammed and trapped by 10 vehicles, where anti-ICE crowds had gathered for days. Nearly a dozen people were arrested.
The suspects have been arrested in connection with the incident, Marimar Martinez and Anthony Ian Santos Ruiz, both of whom were described by DHS as being domestic terrorists who “ambushed” agents. Martinez was armed with a semi-automatic weapon and “ha[d] a history of doxxing federal agents,” the DHS said in a release.
“She took defensive fire from CBP agents and has been discharged from the hospital and is currently in the custody of the FBI,” the statement said.
This follows weeks of anti-ICE protesters holding demonstrations outside an ICE facility in the Chicago suburb of Broadview. Protesters have had many tense interactions with federal officials outside the Broadview facility and have repeatedly blocked federal officials from entering and exiting.
Chicago Democratic Mayor Brandon Johnson signed an executive on Monday prohibiting federal immigration agents from using city-owned property for immigration enforcement operations or staging.
In its statement to Fox News Digital, DHS said it “will not let violence from domestic terrorists and lawless rioters in Chicago slow us down from fulfilling the President’s mandate to arrest the worst of the worst.”
