The Department of Homeland Security announced Wednesday morning the apprehension of over 150 illegal immigrant sexual predators in Florida as part of “Operation Dirtbag.”
“This operation was called Operation Criminal Return. I call it Operation Dirtbag, because these individuals were sex offenders, but not just sex offenders, they targeted children,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said on Fox & Friends.
“These 150 individuals will be gone off of our streets. Our kids will be safer,” Noem added.
Noem, who worked alongside Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) in this effort, stated she wants to replicate the effort nationwide.
“The fact that they were sexual deviants and perverts, and now we’ve gotten them off of our streets, it’s remarkable. And we need to do more of it,” she said.
Aside from the 150 child predators, at least 80 other illegal immigrants were rounded up in the Sunshine State after being wanted for crimes, including drug offenses and even murder.
Noem then spoke on the importance of cracking down on illegal immigration in the country, which has constantly received pushback by Democrats like Gov. JB Pritzker (D-IL), whose “personal attacks” against President Donald Trump put “his people in jeopardy each and every day.”
Noem, however, signaled that she will continue to direct the Department of Homeland Security to crack down on illegal immigrant child predators throughout the country despite Democratic pushback.
“We’re not going to just be in Chicago. We’re spreading out to other cities and continuing to do our work. I won’t talk about specific operations, but we’re not going to give him any relief from his political rhetoric,” she stated. “We’re going to be in there defending these families. The significant difference that we’ve made in public safety in Chicago is something that we need more and many more cities.”
Noem’s announcement comes months after DHS, along with the federal government, has intensified its campaign to remove illegal immigrant child predators from American cities.
In late July, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Homeland Security Investigations spearheaded “Operation Apex Predator,” which resulted in the arrests of multiple illegal immigrant child sexual predators.
Days later, ICE also announced the detainment of an illegal immigrant and child predator in Philadelphia.
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“An illegal alien who committed a crime by unlawfully entering the United States, who is then charged with heinous crimes like this, should never be released to prey on the citizens of Montgomery County,” ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Philadelphia’s field office director, Brian McShane, said in a statement.
“The sanctuary policies recently enacted by the Montgomery County Commissioners forced prison officials to release this individual to the streets rather than turn him over to ICE officials on the detainer filed against him,” he added. “I am just glad we got him before he could harm another.”
