WASHINGTON, Aug. 24 (DC Times Online) — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested 1,328 people during a 14-day operation focused on Washington, D.C., and extending into parts of Virginia and Maryland, the Department of Homeland Security said.
The operation, called “Operation Safe Community — Washington, D.C.,” ran from Aug. 1 through Aug. 14, 2026. ICE announced the results Aug. 24.
The agency did not provide a breakdown showing how many arrests took place in the District, Virginia or Maryland. The reported total also does not establish how many people were arrested for immigration violations alone or how many were being held because of separate criminal cases.
What ICE said about criminal cases
DHS said almost 400 of those arrested had either criminal convictions or pending criminal charges. That figure combines convictions and unresolved charges, which are not the same. A criminal charge is an accusation, while a conviction means a court has found a person guilty.
The agency cited cases involving allegations or convictions for offenses including rape, sexual assault, kidnapping, driving under the influence, robbery and attempted murder. The available information does not provide case numbers, charging documents or a count separating convictions from pending charges.
DHS also said people associated with MS-13, the 18th Street Gang and Tren de Aragua were among those arrested. The agency did not provide individual counts or underlying law-enforcement records for those claims.
The murder-warrant arrest
One person identified by ICE was Eygner Wilfredo Huezo-Moran, described by the agency as a Salvadoran national wanted in Richmond, Virginia, on a murder warrant.
ICE and the U.S. Marshals arrested Huezo-Moran in Chesterfield, Virginia, and turned him over to local authorities for the criminal case, according to the agency’s account. ICE said it later sought a transfer to federal custody for deportation proceedings.
The available information does not identify the court handling the murder case, provide a case number or describe the evidence behind the warrant. A warrant and an arrest do not establish guilt.
Why the operation covered three jurisdictions
ICE is a federal agency within DHS and enforces federal immigration laws. Its operation primarily targeted the District but also included enforcement activity in the Washington suburbs and elsewhere in Virginia and Maryland.
DHS said the arrests proceeded despite sanctuary policies in some Virginia and Maryland jurisdictions. The agency did not identify the jurisdictions or specify which policies it meant.
The reported figures came from DHS and ICE statements. The available information does not include an arrest roster, a DHS or ICE primary report, court records for the criminal cases, or statements from defense lawyers or the people arrested.
