One Man’s 40th Deportation: Texas Operation Targets Repeat Offenders

ICE’s latest deportation operation in Texas has resulted in the 40th removal of Julian Estrada-Garcia, a significant step toward addressing repeat offenders and enhancing public safety.

Quick Takes

ICE deported 174 criminal migrants from Texas in a two-week operation.
Julian Estrada-Garcia has been deported for the 40th time.
Among the deported were individuals with violent criminal histories.
The operation aims to enhance public safety through strict law enforcement.

Operation Overview

Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) latest enforcement operation in Texas marked significant progress against repeat offenders. This operation resulted in the deportation of 174 criminal migrants within two weeks. This operation includes the removal of Julian Estrada-Garcia, making it his 40th deportation. Estrada-Garcia’s criminal history highlights continuous illegal entries and drug-related offenses. ICE emphasized the importance of such operations to enhance public safety, particularly in significant metropolitan areas like Houston.

During this operation, ICE prioritized individuals with extensive criminal backgrounds. Two of the deported individuals were previously convicted on homicide-related charges. The group collectively held 610 criminal convictions, including four for rape or sexual assault and five for child sex offenses. The apprehended group also included 24 known gang members, underscoring the operation’s focus on individuals posing high threats to community safety.

Wider Efforts and Challenges

This Texas operation is part of the Trump administration’s broader immigration enforcement strategy, which reports over 100,000 deportations since January 20. However, official data has not been updated since mid-January, leading to skepticism regarding the accuracy of these numbers. The administration’s focus includes increasing the use of technology and resources like the CBP Home app to encourage self-deportation. Despite these efforts, detention space remains limited, resulting in some non-citizens being monitored via bond or GPS tracking.

David Bier from the Cato Institute has raised concerns over the administration’s high deportation figures in a relatively short time frame. Challenges continue to arise against some deportation efforts in the form of legal challenges and Temporary Restraining Orders. Official Department of Homeland Security (DHS) data is currently unavailable on its website, creating an information gap in assessing the scale and impact of these operations.

#NEW: This is the illegal alien ICE says entered into the U.S. at least 39 times and was among those deported to Mexico during a two week operation.

According to ICE Houston, while in the U.S. Julian Estrada-Garcia was convicted of several criminal offenses including illegal… https://t.co/q8zVux2a72 pic.twitter.com/ALtxeGijHi

— Brooke Taylor (@Brooketaylortv) April 3, 2025

Community Impact and Future Outlook

The Texas operation is a clear indication of ICE’s continued efforts to uphold immigration laws by removing individuals who pose a threat to public safety. While this effort aims to restore integrity to national law enforcement, it has resulted in diverse community responses. The Trump administration encourages Congress support, emphasizing the need for additional detention facilities to manage the increasing number of deportations.

Bret Bradford, Houston’s field office director for ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations, commended the operation, stating, “Each day they put their lives on the line to apprehend and remove dangerous criminal aliens, transnational gang members and foreign fugitives who have illegally entered the U.S. and are preying on innocent, hardworking Texans.”

ICE continues to remain a primary authority on deportations, responsible for most removal flights nationwide. Despite setbacks, ICE’s resolute focus remains on ensuring the safety of American communities through lawful immigration enforcement actions.