Immigration Authorities Reveal Criminal Backgrounds of Multiple Migrants Arrested in Los Angeles

Federal immigration authorities have revealed that several of the migrants arrested during recent sweeps in the Los Angeles area possess criminal histories involving serious offenses such as assault, drug crimes, and gang affiliations. The string of arrests last week reached a crescendo on Friday, with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers detaining nearly 45 individuals in coordinated operations across multiple locations, including two Home Depot stores, a business in the bustling fashion district, and a local doughnut shop.

The crackdown led to a total of more than 100 migrants being taken into custody over the course of the week, sparking a wave of protests and civil unrest. Demonstrators gathered outside several targeted businesses, voicing their opposition to what they described as aggressive immigration enforcement tactics. Protests escalated through the weekend, resulting in the arrest of David Huerta, president of SEIU California, after he was charged with impeding a federal agent while participating in demonstrations.

Authorities reported that at least one individual was quickly deported to Mexico after being apprehended early Friday morning. Meanwhile, federal officials executed a search warrant at a warehouse in the fashion district, citing probable cause that the employer had been employing workers using fictitious documents. This action underscored ongoing federal efforts to clamp down not only on undocumented workers, but also on businesses allegedly complicit in violating immigration laws.

As tensions heightened in the city, President Donald Trump ordered the deployment of California National Guard troops to Los Angeles following two days of violent clashes between protesters and federal agents equipped with riot gear. Officials stressed the necessity of these measures by highlighting the nature of criminal offenses attributed to some of those arrested, emphasizing the public safety aspect of the operations in addition to immigration enforcement.

Among those detained were individuals with extensive criminal backgrounds. Rolando Veneracion-Enriquez, 55, of the Philippines, had prior convictions for burglary, sexual penetration with force, and assault with intent to commit rape—offenses that resulted in lengthy prison sentences totaling more than 40 years. Jose Gregorio Medranda Ortiz, 42, of Ecuador, was found to have served over 11 years in prison for a cocaine trafficking conspiracy.

Another notable arrest included Armando Ordaz, 44, of Mexico, identified as an alleged member of the Bratz 13 gang, with prior convictions ranging from sexual battery to receiving stolen property and petty theft. Victor Mendoza-Aguilar, 32, also from Mexico and associated with the Villa Boys gang, was apprehended with a record that included assault with a deadly weapon, possession of controlled substances, and previous deportation in 2017.

Delfino Aguilar-Martinez, 51, and Jesus Alan Hernandez-Morales, 26, both of Mexico, were also among those arrested. Their charges included assault with a deadly weapon that inflicted great bodily injury, as well as conspiracy to transport illegal migrants—each serving jail or deportation orders accordingly.

Lionel Sanchez-Laguna, 55, of Mexico, was taken into custody earlier in the week. His criminal history read as a litany of violent and endangering acts—including firing a weapon at an inhabited dwelling, battery on a spouse, cruelty to a child, and multiple firearm-related offenses—that resulted in multiple years of incarceration and probation.

The large-scale arrests and subsequent protests have reignited debate around immigration enforcement, community safety, and labor rights in one of the country’s most diverse metropolitan areas. As National Guard deployments move forward and community advocates continue to rally, the city remains on edge, grappling with the immediate and long-term implications of federal immigration policy enforcement.