DHS officials say holiday enforcement operations in Ohio and California led to the arrests of hundreds of noncitizens with criminal convictions. Operation Buckeye in Ohio reportedly resulted in more than 280 arrests, while federal authorities detained nearly 120 convicted noncitizens in California over several days. The detainees allegedly included registered sex offenders, drug traffickers, domestic abusers and repeat drunk drivers. DHS officials blamed sanctuary policies for attracting criminals, a claim disputed by California spokespeople who defended state coordination rules with ICE.
DHS Holiday Sweep Targets ‘Worst of the Worst,’ Arrests Hundreds of Convicted Noncitizens in Ohio and California
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem speaks in Washington
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials say federal agents conducted targeted holiday enforcement operations in Ohio and California that resulted in the arrests of hundreds of noncitizens with criminal convictions. The actions—part of a series of geographically focused efforts by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Border Patrol—took place during the period from Dec. 26 through New Year’s Eve.
Operations and Results
Federal officials identified the Ohio sweep as "Operation Buckeye," which they say led to the arrest of more than 280 noncitizens convicted of offenses including assault on a police officer, criminal firearm possession and drug trafficking. In California, authorities reported nearly 120 additional noncitizens with criminal convictions detained in under a week.
Notable Arrests
Named individuals taken into custody during the operations include Emanuel Guijosa-Nonato, described as a Mexican national with prior convictions—including aggravated assault on a police officer, disorderly conduct, DUI and illegal re-entry—and Andres Blanco-Hernandez, wanted on assault and domestic violence charges. Other arrests reported by DHS included Wilmar Edgardo Lozano-Alcantara (El Salvador), Melvin Alejandro Rodriguez-Rodriguez (Venezuela) and a Honduras national identified as Fernandez Flores, each with prior convictions or arrest histories cited by officials.
Types Of Offenses Cited
According to DHS, the detainees included registered sex offenders, individuals convicted of lewd acts involving minors, drug offenders, domestic abusers, serial drunk drivers and other repeat offenders. Two Mexican nationals named in the California portion were identified as previously convicted of lewd or lascivious acts involving a child under 14.
Reactions And Context
Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said the operation removed dangerous offenders from communities and criticized California's sanctuary policies, asserting that such policies attract criminal noncitizens.
A spokesperson for California Governor Gavin Newsom pushed back, accusing federal agents of overreach and defending state rules that allow coordination with ICE for people charged with or convicted of serious crimes. State officials also noted prior clashes between federal agents and local communities during earlier enforcement actions.
This report is based on statements from DHS and comments given to news outlets. Numbers and named individuals reflect those cited by federal officials during the described operations.
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