On December 28, 2025, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency apprehended Efren Cortez-Velez, a Mexican national previously convicted of child cruelty, criminal trespassing, and resisting arrest in Passaic, New Jersey. Cortez-Velez is currently in ICE custody, awaiting removal proceedings.

ICE Director Todd M. Lyons stated that the agency's actions are in line with its constitutionally mandated mission, emphasizing the importance of removing individuals who have committed serious crimes. He noted a significant increase in assaults against ICE officers and a dramatic rise in death threats compared to the previous year, highlighting the challenges faced by the agency in its enforcement efforts.

Cortez-Velez's criminal history includes an arrest by the Passaic Police Department on March 9, 2007, for criminal trespass and resisting arrest, for which he pleaded guilty and paid a fine. He was subsequently arrested on December 25, 2007, for endangering a child, leading to a guilty plea for abuse, abandonment, cruelty, and neglect, resulting in a six-month prison sentence.

Despite these convictions, Cortez-Velez remained in the United States until his recent arrest by ICE Newark officers. The agency asserts that this operation contributes to public safety by removing individuals deemed a threat to communities.