ICE Sweeps Denver: 243 Criminal Immigrants Arrested in Major Crackdown
Sarah Johnson
July 23, 2025
Brief
ICE arrests 243 criminal illegal immigrants in Denver, targeting murderers, traffickers, and gang members in a major public safety operation.
In a sweeping operation that concluded on Sunday, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers arrested 243 illegal immigrants in the Denver area, each charged with or convicted of serious crimes beyond their unlawful entry into the U.S. This crackdown underscores a renewed focus on public safety under the current administration.
Among the arrested were individuals linked to heinous offenses: one wanted for murder, another for human trafficking, and several tied to sex crimes, drug trafficking, assault, theft, and repeated DUIs. Rigoberto Carranza-Mendez, 47, already convicted of murder and DUI, had previously been removed from the country, while Blanca Ochoa Tello, 36, was caught with 20,000 fentanyl pills. The list of charges is as chilling as it is long, with others facing allegations of sexual assault under horrific circumstances.
ICE officials didn’t hold back in their assessment. Robert Guadian, director of the Denver Field Office, emphasized their commitment to community safety, pointing a finger at Colorado's sanctuary laws for allowing many of these individuals to be released back into the metro area by local jails. It’s a stark reminder of the tension between federal enforcement and local policies.
What’s more alarming is the global reach of this criminal network—arrestees hailed from South America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, with nine confirmed or suspected members of notorious transnational gangs like Tren de Aragua and the Sinaloa Cartel. This isn’t just a local issue; it’s a borderless challenge.
The operation comes amid a staggering rise in arrests of criminal illegal immigrants across eight western states since January, with numbers nearly tripling. Meanwhile, attacks on ICE personnel have skyrocketed by 830% compared to last year, a trend Acting Director Todd Lyons attributes to inflammatory rhetoric from some elected officials. As cities like Los Angeles push back against such raids, the debate over enforcement and safety rages on.
This is more than a roundup—it’s a signal of shifting priorities in an era where the line between law enforcement and political posturing grows ever thinner.
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Editor's Comments
Well, folks, ICE just played a high-stakes game of 'Whack-a-Mole' in Denver, nabbing 243 folks who make the average jaywalker look like a saint. Murder, trafficking, fentanyl hauls—it's like they rounded up the cast of a crime drama. But here’s the kicker: while Colorado’s sanctuary laws are playing 'catch and release' with these characters, ICE officers are dodging an 830% spike in attacks. Maybe it’s time we stop treating border security like a political piñata and start asking why gang members from halfway across the globe are setting up shop in the Mile High City. Speaking of high, with 20,000 fentanyl pills seized, I guess someone was trying to make Denver the 'Mile Higher' City!
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