U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained 4,170 people living in the United States illegally during a 10-day operation in Texas. The operation, code-named “Lone Star Mission,” ran from Oct. 19 to 29, 2026. According to ICE, all arrests were carried out without incident and without the use of firearms against those detained.
Five field offices of ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) unit took part, based in Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, El Paso and Harlingen.
Those detained included people subject to deportation orders, as well as suspects and convicts in serious crimes, including murder, sexual assault, human smuggling and repeated illegal border crossings. ICE reported, among others, the arrest of a Honduran national wanted for murder, a twice-deported Mexican national suspected of aggravated murder, and people convicted of sex crimes and human smuggling.
“When we work together as the federal government, the state, counties and local law enforcement, we can go after the worst of the worst,” said U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin at an event in Dallas. He declared the operation a success and thanked the officers who took part.
According to ICE data, as of Oct. 30, Texas institutions had signed more than 400 agreements under the 287(g) program, which allows local agencies to cooperate with federal immigration authorities. More than 140 additional agreements were awaiting finalization.
Editor: JŁ
