MILESTONE: DHS Arrests 5,000th Illegal Alien In Los Angeles — And Noem Promises More

WASHINGTON — The United States Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement have executed arrests of 5,000 illegal aliens in Los Angeles since June, The Daily Wire can first report. And Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has a message for criminal illegals in the United States: “This is just the beginning.”

The 5,000th arrest in Los Angeles is an individual named Gustavo Garcia-Miranda, a criminal illegal alien and convicted drug trafficker from Mexico, a DHS official told The Daily Wire, sharing that Garcia-Miranda illegally entered the United States in 2008 and was arrested by Border Patrol for illegal re-entry.

“That’s 5,000 criminal illegal aliens, gang members, child predators, and murderers taken off our streets,” Noem told The Daily Wire. “Precious lives saved. Families protected. American taxpayers spared the cost of their crimes AND the burden of their benefits.”

Gustavo Garcia-Miranda. Photo courtesy of DHS.

Gustavo Garcia-Miranda. Photo courtesy of DHS.

“THANK YOU to our brave law enforcement officers,” the Homeland Security Secretary emphasized. “Make no mistake: if you are here illegally, we will find you, arrest you, and send you back. This is just the beginning.”

The arrests come in spite of pushback from lawmakers and California politicians who embrace sanctuary city policies, as well as the disruption of rioters in California, who began violently protesting federal agents following increased apprehension rates by ICE agents in Los Angeles in early June.

Video footage of the rioting showed individuals throwing bricks and Molotov cocktails at armored vehicles, prompting President Donald Trump to federalize 4,000 members of the California National Guard within days, arguing that the government needed to restore order to the city, and an additional 700 Marines to support local law enforcement.

DHS emphasizes that despite these challenges, ICE and Border Patrol continued to push forward and deliver on the president’s promise to free American communities from illegal alien crime.

“Secretary Noem has been clear: LA rioters would not stop DHS or slow us down,” the agency said in a press release. “Our law enforcement will continue to enforce the law. And anyone who lays a hand on a law enforcement officer, will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” 

A protester waves a combination Mexican-US flag in front of police in riot gear during a protest in response to federal immigration operations in the Little Tokyo neighborhood of downtown Los Angeles, on June 9, 2025. (Photo by RONALDO SCHEMIDT/AFP via Getty Images)

On Friday, a judge appointed by former President Barack Obama ruled that Trump cannot cut federal funding from sanctuary cities around the country — cities that consider themselves “sanctuaries” for illegal immigrants. That includes Los Angeles, which Trump’s DOJ sued in June, arguing that the city’s policies that bar Los Angeles resources from being used in immigration enforcement operations.

The president has argued vehemently against sanctuary cities, saying in April: “No more Sanctuary Cities! They protect the Criminals, not the Victims. They are disgracing our Country, and are being mocked all over the World. Working on papers to withhold all Federal Funding for any City or State that allows these Death Traps to exist!!!”

The DHS announcement also comes as the president’s federal enforcement operation in Washington, D.C., has announced dozens of arrests of illegal immigrants every night since August 7, when Trump’s crime enforcement began. On Monday night, for example, federal authorities made a total of 87 arrests, 39 of whom were illegal aliens with prior arrests for DUI, simple assault, second degree assault, sexual solicitation, felony robbery, contempt of court, and more.

One Mexican illegal alien arrested in D.C. on Monday night had a prior arrest for child rape and three prior immigration encounters. Another illegal alien arrested on Monday evening was a member of Tren de Aragua.