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Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials on Saturday released a detailed list of what the agency described as the “worst of the worst” criminal illegal immigrants arrested during a recent enforcement surge in Minnesota. The agency said the arrests included individuals convicted of child rape, sexual assault, homicide, manslaughter, attempted homicide, kidnapping and other violent crimes, Fox News reported.
ICE said the individuals had been living freely in Minnesota prior to their arrests, despite many having longstanding final orders of removal.
The agency said those arrested are the type of offenders Democratic politicians and immigration activists have referred to as “neighbors” while publicly opposing ICE 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 reacted to the arrests Saturday in a post on X.
“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, also a Laotian national, was convicted of sexual assault and sodomy of a girl under 13 and procuring a child for prostitution, according to ICE, which added that Vang has had a deportation order since 2006.
Chong Vue, another Laotian national, 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. Yang has had a deportation order since 2012, ICE said.
Pao Choua Xiong, also from Laos, was convicted of rape and child fondling and has had a deportation order since 2003.
Kou Lor, another Laotian national, 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. ICE said Cortes-Valencia 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, ICE said.
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 others were convicted of manslaughter, attempted homicide and negligent homicide involving vehicles.
The agency said many of the individuals had remained in the United States for years or decades despite final removal orders, underscoring what officials described as failures of enforcement in sanctuary jurisdictions.
ICE said the Minnesota arrests are part of a broader national effort to prioritize the removal of violent offenders and individuals who pose a public safety threat.
