U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) carried out one of its largest enforcement operations in agency history, arresting 1,328 illegal aliens across Virginia and Maryland over a 14-day period, according to an exclusive statement provided to Fox News correspondent Bill Melugin by the Department of Homeland Security.
The statement, announced Monday, revealed that nearly 400 of those arrested had criminal convictions or pending criminal charges. Among those taken into custody was a Salvadoran illegal alien wanted on a murder warrant by police in Richmond, Virginia.
Serious criminal histories among those arrested
Melugin reported that other targets included individuals with criminal records for attempted murder, rape, sexual battery, kidnapping, robbery, and driving while intoxicated. ICE also noted that some arrestees had prior convictions for murder, rape of a mentally incapacitated person, and robbery combined with illegal possession of a firearm, including at least one MS-13 gang member.
Video footage shared by Melugin, provided by an ICE source involved in the operation, showed some illegal aliens attempting to flee or resist arrest.
Sanctuary policies complicate enforcement
The operation took place in an environment of significant local resistance. While Maryland is not officially a sanctuary state, it has numerous sanctuary cities and counties. Gov. Wes Moore (D-Md.) signed legislation this year that bans local cooperation with ICE, making the state effectively a sanctuary jurisdiction.
Virginia’s newly elected Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) has also repeatedly blocked ICE enforcement efforts, reportedly going as far as protecting an illegal alien accused of murder from federal arrest. Spanberger has ordered local police not to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.
Federal law and rising threats against ICE
Advocates for enforcement point out that such local resistance may violate federal statutes. Title 8, U.S. Code Section 1324 penalizes anyone who “conceals, harbors, or shields from detection” illegal aliens. Additionally, 18 U.S.C. 111 makes it a crime to resist, impede, or interfere with federal immigration officers performing their duties.
Democratic officials’ encouragement of activism has also made ICE operations riskier. DHS has reported an 8,000% increase in death threats against ICE personnel and a more than 1,300% increase in assaults on agents.
Despite these obstacles, the Virginia and Maryland operation proceeded and resulted in the significant number of arrests announced this week.
Source: pjmedia.com — https://pjmedia.com/catherinesalgado/2026/08/24/ice-arrested-over-1300-illegal-aliens-in-virginia-maryland-operation-n4956494
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