Among those recently detained by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during the two-week national crackdown known as Operation Angel Honor, are three Cuban nationals. This operation, which concluded this week, targeted undocumented immigrants with criminal records.
The operation resulted in the arrest of 1,030 individuals, including at least three Cubans. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) highlighted these cases as examples of the types of criminals they aim to permanently remove from the U.S.
One of the detainees, Sergio Luis Hernández González, has a notably extensive criminal history. DHS reports that he has been convicted of 17 theft-related charges, in addition to facing accusations for robbery, cocaine distribution, resisting arrest, vehicle theft, fraud, and other property crimes.
Avelino Lage-Caro, another Cuban arrested, has been sentenced for cocaine possession and distribution, alongside charges involving firearms possession. He also faces theft accusations.
The third is Yorisane Lazo, who has been convicted of intentional homicide with a weapon, as well as robbery and violent street assault. Her arrest during Operation Angel Honor underscores the DHS's focus on high-impact cases involving significant violence.
During the two-week operation, ICE focused on arresting undocumented individuals with criminal backgrounds as defined by the Laken Riley Law. This legislation, signed by Donald Trump during his presidency, mandates federal detention of undocumented immigrants accused of crimes such as theft, burglary, assaults on law enforcement officers, and any actions resulting in serious injury or death.
The law is named after Laken Riley, a Georgia nursing student murdered by a Venezuelan immigrant linked to the Tren de Aragua crime syndicate. This assailant had been repeatedly arrested and released under the Biden administration before committing the crime that led to the creation of the law.
"In honor of Laken Riley, ICE launched Operation Angel Honor, which in just the past two weeks has arrested over 1,000 criminal illegal immigrants under the authority of the Laken Riley Law," stated DHS Secretary Kristi Noem on X.
"President Trump has empowered us to arrest and expel the millions of violent criminal illegal immigrants that the previous administration released into the United States. Now, these criminals will face justice and be removed from our country," she added.
"We can never bring Laken back, but we can do everything in our power to bring these heinous criminals to justice. I am immensely proud of what our brave ICE men and women have done to remove these criminals from the streets of the U.S.," Noem expressed.
According to official data from DHS, under Trump's and Noem's leadership, over 17,500 criminal illegal immigrants have been arrested for violations outlined in the Laken Riley Law. Federal authorities assert that arrests will continue nationwide, with this law serving as a cornerstone of the new immigration control strategy.
In this context, the cases of the three detained Cubans exemplify the type of actions the government intends to intensify in the coming months.
Operation Angel Honor and Laken Riley Law: Key Questions Answered
What is Operation Angel Honor?
Operation Angel Honor is a two-week national initiative by ICE focused on arresting undocumented immigrants with criminal records, aiming to remove them permanently from the United States.
What is the Laken Riley Law?
The Laken Riley Law mandates the federal detention of undocumented immigrants accused of serious crimes, such as theft, assault on law enforcement, and any acts resulting in significant injury or death. It was named after Laken Riley, a victim of a violent crime by an undocumented immigrant.
Who are the three Cuban nationals detained in this operation?
The three Cuban individuals detained are Sergio Luis Hernández González, Avelino Lage-Caro, and Yorisane Lazo, each with a significant criminal history involving crimes such as theft, drug distribution, and violent assaults.