ICE agent
ICE agent

The Department of Homeland Security said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement delivered an early "Christmas gift to Americans" after arresting undocumented immigrants with criminal records in operations carried out nationwide last week.

"This holiday season, ICE is working around the clock to ensure silent nights and safer streets," DHS said in a statement announcing the arrests, which it described as targeting some of the "worst of the worst."

According to DHS, those taken into custody included undocumented immigrants from Chile, Colombia, Mexico, El Salvador and Honduras, all of whom had prior convictions for crimes such as burglary, robbery and aggravated kidnapping.

"Violent criminal illegal aliens who break our laws have absolutely no business remaining in the United States," said DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin. "Yesterday's arrests include criminal illegal aliens convicted for burglary, bank robbery, and kidnapping. We are thankful for our law enforcement who delivered the best Christmas gift for American families this holiday season: safer communities."

The enforcement push comes as the Trump administration continues to pair arrests with incentives for voluntary departures. On Monday, DHS announced that undocumented immigrants who register to self-deport through the CBP Home app by the end of the year will receive a $3,000 stipend, free airfare to their home countries and forgiveness of certain civil fines or penalties tied to unlawful presence.

"Since January 2025, 1.9 million illegal aliens have voluntarily self-deported and tens of thousands have used the CBP Home program," Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in an official statement, before alluding to the holiday season as well by saying that "during the Christmas Season, the U.S. taxpayer is so generously tripling the incentive to leave voluntarily."

Noem warned that those who do not participate face arrest and removal. "Illegal aliens should take advantage of this gift and self-deport because if they don't, we will find them, we will arrest them, and they will never return," she said.

DHS said the CBP Home app, launched earlier this year, allows undocumented immigrants to report their departure and receive travel assistance. Officials argue the program reduces taxpayer costs compared with traditional arrest, detention and deportation operations.

Originally published on Latin Times