ICE Releases List of Worst Criminal Illegal Aliens Arrested in Minnesota

Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Saturday released a sobering breakdown of what the agency called the “worst of the worst” criminal illegal immigrants arrested during a recent enforcement surge in Minnesota—a list that underscores the stakes of the national immigration debate under President Donald J. Trump’s second term.

According to ICE, the arrests included illegal immigrants convicted of some of the most serious and violent crimes imaginable, including child rape, sexual assault, homicide, manslaughter, attempted homicide, kidnapping, and other brutal offenses. Many of those taken into custody had been living freely in Minnesota for years—some for decades—despite having longstanding final orders of removal, Fox News reported.

ICE officials emphasized that these are the very offenders Democratic politicians and immigration activists routinely describe as “neighbors” while condemning federal enforcement actions.

“Regardless of staged political theatrics, ICE is going to continue to arrest the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens in Minnesota and elsewhere,” ICE Director Todd M. Lyons said in a statement.

“Some of these criminal aliens have had final orders of removal for 30 years, but they’ve been free to terrorize Minnesotans,” Lyons said.

“ICE’s arrests prevent recidivism and make communities safer, but it feels like local politicians want to ignore that part and drum up discontent rather than protect their own constituents,” he added.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt praised the operation in a post on X, pointing to the real-world consequences of lax enforcement.

“This is why we have ICE Agents,” Leavitt wrote. “May God bless them for their thankless work to protect American communities from these sick people.”

Among those arrested was Sriudorn Phaivan, a Laotian national convicted of strong-arm sodomy of a boy and a girl, aggravated sexual offenses, burglary, fraud, vehicle theft, drug possession, and multiple other crimes. ICE said Phaivan has had a final order of removal since 2018 and also faces pending charges including burglary and flight to avoid prosecution.

Tou Vang, another Laotian national, was convicted of sexual assault and sodomy of a girl under 13 and procuring a child for prostitution. ICE said Vang has been under a deportation order since 2006.

Chong Vue, also from Laos, was convicted of the strong-arm rape of a 12-year-old girl and kidnapping a child with intent to sexually assault her. ICE said Vue has had a final order of removal since 2004.

Ge Yang, a Laotian national, was convicted of strong-arm rape, aggravated assault with a weapon, and strangulation, and has had a deportation order since 2012.

Pao Choua Xiong, another Laotian national, was convicted of rape and child fondling and has been under a final order of removal since 2003.

Kou Lor, also from Laos, was convicted of rape, rape with a weapon, and sexual assault. ICE said Lor has had a final order of removal since 1996.

Hernan Cortes-Valencia, a Mexican national, was convicted of sexual assault of a child and driving under the influence, and has had a deportation order since 2016.

The list also included multiple individuals convicted of homicide. Abdirashid Adosh Elmi, a Somalian national, was convicted of homicide, according to ICE.

Gilberto Salguero Landaverde, a Salvadoran national, was convicted of three counts of homicide and has had a deportation order since June 2025.

Gabriel Figueroa Gama, a Mexican national, was convicted of homicide and was previously deported in 2002.

Thai Lor, a Laotian national, was convicted of two counts of homicide and has had a deportation order since 2009.

Mariana Sia Kanu, an illegal immigrant from Sierra Leone, was convicted of two counts of homicide and has had a deportation order since 2022.

ICE said several other arrestees were convicted of manslaughter, attempted homicide, or negligent homicide involving vehicles.

Agency officials noted that many of these individuals remained in the United States for years or decades despite final removal orders, highlighting what ICE described as systemic enforcement failures in sanctuary jurisdictions.

The Minnesota operation, ICE said, is part of a broader national push under the Trump administration to prioritize the arrest and removal of violent offenders and illegal immigrants who pose a direct threat to public safety.