Exclusive: ICE busts pedophile, abuser, and fentanyl trafficker despite ongoing shutdown



The government shutdown has not hindered the Trump administration's federal agents from continuing nationwide immigration enforcement.

‘Nothing will slow us down from making America safe again — not even a government shutdown.’

On Tuesday, Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested more of the “worst of the worst” criminal illegal aliens, including pedophiles, abusers, and drug traffickers, according to a Department of Homeland Security press release exclusively obtained by Blaze News.

“The Democrats’ government shutdown will not stop DHS law enforcement from arresting and removing the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens from American communities. Just yesterday, ICE arrested pedophiles, abusers, violent assailants, and drug traffickers from America’s streets,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stated.

“Nothing will slow us down from making America safe again — not even a government shutdown," McLaughlin added.

The DHS highlighted five of those arrests.

Elroy Smith, a Jamaican national, was previously convicted in Philadelphia of unlawful contact with a minor — sexual offenses and indecent assault of a person less than 13 years old. Court records show that he was sentenced in 2024 to a minimum of 11.5 months in jail.

RELATED: Major shake-up reportedly under way at DHS as Trump administration works to increase deportations

Elroy Smith. Image source: Department of Homeland Security

ICE nabbed Joel Ocampo-Martinez, a Mexican national with a criminal record in Vernal, Utah, for attempted forcible sexual abuse.

Joel Ocampo-Martinez. Image source: Department of Homeland Security

Federal agents arrested Oscar Hernandez-Aguire, a Salvadoran national who was convicted in Los Angeles for inflicting corporal injury on a spouse.

Oscar Hernandez-Aguire. Image source: Department of Homeland Security

Luis Mario Martinez-Gonzalez, a Mexican national, was found guilty in El Paso County, Texas, for assault on a public servant.

Luis Mario Martinez-Gonzalez. Image source: Department of Homeland Security

ICE also captured Osiris Alexander Rodriguez-Guzman, a national from the Dominican Republic, who was convicted in Essex Superior Court in Massachusetts for trafficking 200 grams or more of fentanyl. Gov. Maura Healey’s administration announced Rodriguez-Guzman’s drug trafficking arrest in 2022 as part of a state and federal takedown operation that resulted in a dozen arrests.

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Osiris Alexander Rodriguez-Guzman. Image source: Department of Homeland Security

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Mass shootings at, near 2 historically black colleges on their homecoming weekends raise concerns about possible deadly trend



Mass shootings at and near a pair of historically black colleges and universities over their homecoming weekends Friday and Saturday left one dead and at least 11 wounded, authorities said.

The violence was an eerie repeat of tragedies that took place last fall at two HBCUs — also during their homecoming festivities — and some observers are concerned about a possible trend.

'This is becoming an every-year occurrence at a lot of schools.'

1 dead, 6 wounded at Lincoln University

At Lincoln University in Chester County, Pennsylvania — about an hour and 15 minutes west of Philadelphia — one person was killed and at least six people were wounded after a shooting Saturday evening, WHP-TV reported.

Officials identified one suspect as 21-year-old Zecqueous Morgan-Thompson, the station said, adding that court documents indicated he was charged with carrying a firearm without a license and was being held in Chester County Prison on $25,000 bail.

Officials said they believe the suspects did not attend homecoming with the intent to commit a mass shooting, WHP reported.

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A 25-year-old male from Wilmington, Delaware, was identified as the deceased victim, the station said, adding that he reportedly was shot in the head. The six wounded victims are expected to survive and are in the same age range — between 20 and 25 years old, WHP said.

Lincoln University's president in a Sunday statement said classes are canceled Monday in order to have a day of "healing and reflection," the station said.

More from WHP:

Authorities have not released the names of any victims. The DA said they were in the process of speaking with victims to learn more about what happened during the shooting.

Lincoln University's police chief said the shots were fired in the parking lot of the International Cultural Center on campus. He said at the time there was a tailgate ceremony taking place following the college's homecoming football game. He said tents and other tables were set up throughout the lot.

5 wounded near Howard University

Five people were shot near Howard University — a historically black college and university in Washington, D.C. — on Friday night during its homecoming weekend, WRC-TV reported.

D.C. police said the victims — four adults and a teenager — were taken to hospitals and were expected to survive after the shooting at Georgia Avenue and Howard Place, the station said.

Witnesses told WRC that dozens of people ran down Georgia Avenue from the shooting scene to a McDonald's after shots were fired.

RELATED: President Biden warns Howard University graduates: 'The most dangerous terrorist threat to our homeland is white supremacy'

According to a statement from Howard University, a fight or confrontation between two suspects occurred before shots were fired, WRC reported, adding that police said none of the shooting victims are Howard students.

The university added in a Saturday statement that nobody from Howard was involved in the shooting, the station reported.

WRC said the university's Homecoming Kick-Off Alumni & Friends Welcome Reception and the Greek Step Show were being held Friday night.

'Something's going on'

The Root, in its report about the pair of shootings, quoted a TikTok user as remarking, “First Howard, now Lincoln, something’s going on."

The outlet added, "Among the jokes and quippy TikToks is something darker ... Black Americans are feeling unsafe."

The Root said another TikTok user recalled shootings last year at HBCUs and wondered if this represents a trend. Another user said, “This is becoming an every-year occurrence at a lot of schools, smh," according to the outlet.

Last fall, two shootings occurred at two HBCUs — also during their homecoming weekends.

A dozen people were shot — one of them fatally — at Tuskegee University in Alabama last November. The deceased individual, an 18-year-old, reportedly died at the scene. One man reportedly was charged with possession of a machine gun in connection with the shooting. A month prior, five people were shot — one fatally — in a crowded area near a campus concert at Albany State University in Georgia.

Following the 2024 HBCU shootings, an Atlanta Journal-Constitution reporter penned an op-ed stating that there is a "growing and disturbing trend of gun violence that is threatening to change the nature of Black colleges' most sacred institution — homecoming."

The AJC reporter, Ernie Suggs, added:

In 2022, four people, including three students, were wounded near Clark Atlanta University after a drive-by shooting during a homecoming celebration.

In 2023, five people, including four students, were shot at Morgan State University. It was the third consecutive year that homecoming festivities at the Baltimore school were marred by gunfire.

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DHS probe confirms Biden's FEMA refused aid to Trump-supporting disaster survivors



The Federal Emergency Management Agency, while under the leadership of the Biden administration, was accused of skipping homes that displayed campaign signs supporting President Donald Trump in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton.

A whistleblower report surfaced in late 2024 that FEMA relief workers had been ordered not to provide aid to people displaying Trump signs on their property, eventually prompting several firings at the agency.

'They deliberately avoided houses displaying support for President Trump and the Second Amendment, illegally collected and stored information about survivors' political beliefs, and failed to report their malicious behavior.'

Then-FEMA administrator Deanne Criswell told Congress that it was an isolated incident, blaming the misstep on a since-terminated employee.

However, a Department of Homeland Security report released Tuesday revealed that the "abuses were widespread, systematic, and occurred during multiple disasters dating back to Hurricane Ida in 2021."

Further, the probe claimed that the workers also violated the Privacy Act of 1974 by collecting information about the political beliefs of disaster survivors.

The DHS report listed some examples of observed political signs and flags that FEMA relief workers documented.

RELATED: FEMA fires 3 more supervisors tied to home-skipping scandal impacting Trump supporters

Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images

"Trump sign, no contact per leadership," a FEMA worker wrote in 2024 about a Florida home, according to the report.

"A lot of explicit political flags, posters, etc. 'F**k Joe Biden' 'MAGA 2024' 'Joe Biden Sucks' 'TRUMP 2024,'" another worker allegedly noted in 2021 about a Pennsylvania residence. "We do not recommend anyone visiting this location."

"Homeowner had sign stated ... this is Trump country," a third reportedly wrote about a Louisiana property in 2021.

RELATED: FEMA investigating stunning report that hurricane relief workers were ordered to skip houses with pro-Trump signs

Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images

"The federal government was withholding aid against Americans in crisis based on their political beliefs — this should horrify every American, regardless of political persuasion," DHS Secretary Kristi Noem stated.

"For years, FEMA employees under the Biden administration intentionally delayed much-needed aid to Americans suffering from natural disasters on purely political grounds," Noem continued. "They deliberately avoided houses displaying support for President Trump and the Second Amendment, illegally collected and stored information about survivors' political beliefs, and failed to report their malicious behavior. We will not let this stand."

The DHS referred the case to the Department of Justice for potential prosecution.

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White ex-state trooper files lawsuit over his firing after viral arrest of black LGBTQ leader



An ex-Pennsylvania state police trooper — who is white — is suing his former agency for firing him after his viral arrest of a black Philadelphia LGBTQ leader.

Andrew Zaborowski arrested Celena McLean — then Celena Morrison — and McLean's husband in a March 2024 traffic stop on the Schuylkill Expressway, WPVI-TV reported.

'It's cause I'm black.'

Zaborowski claims in his lawsuit that state police fired him because of his skin color and that he was falsely accused of racial profiling, the station said.

At the time of the traffic stop and arrest, McLean was Philadelphia's executive director of the Office of LGBT Affairs, WPVI reported.

The station said it reached out to state police for comment but did not hear back.

RELATED: 9 arrested after transgender activists clash with police at 'Let Women Speak' event in NYC

As Blaze News previously reported, the March 2 incident — some of which was caught on video — took place on Interstate 76 near the downtown part of the city.

The Philadelphia Inquirer, citing state police, at the time reported that the trooper pulled over Celena Morrison for driving with an expired and suspended registration, driving without headlights activated in the rain, illegally tinted windows, and driving too close to another car.

After the traffic stop, Celena Morrison's husband, Darius McLean, pulled up behind them, the paper said, adding that state police said McLean “became verbally combative” and “refused multiple lawful orders" after the trooper approached him.

The trooper attempted to arrest McLean, and Morrison tried to intervene, the Inquirer said, adding that Morrison also was arrested.

In Morrison's video of the arrest, Morrison was heard yelling, “I work for the mayor! I work for the mayor!” as McLean was laying on the shoulder of the freeway, the paper said.

"Please, just stop. No! It's cause I'm black," McLean was heard saying, according to WPVI-TV.

"It's not 'cause you're black," the trooper replied, according to the station.

The trooper then told Morrison to "turn around" and "give me your hands, or you are getting tased," WPVI reported. At one point, Morrison was heard saying, “He just punched me," the Inquirer said.

More from the station:

"This was a simple traffic stop cause you didn't have your lights on. You're tailgating," the officer explains to the couple. "Then, I don't know who you are. I don't need somebody rolling up on me."

"There was no need at all," one person is heard saying.

"You were about to tase me. You pulled your gun on me," another voice says.

"You were fighting with me," says a third voice.

"No, I wasn't fighting you," someone responds.

RELATED: The Zizians’ violent spiral: A trans group tied to killings across America

State police placed the trooper on restricted duty after the incident, the Inquirer reported.

In addition, while state police charged the couple with resisting arrest, obstruction of justice, disorderly conduct, and summary traffic citations, the paper said the office of Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner declined the charges, and Celena Morrison and Darius McLean were released from custody on the evening of March 2.

Blaze News reported in January 2020 that then-Mayor Jim Kenney appointed Celena Morrison to run his Office of LGBT Affairs — and that Morrison was the first-ever trans-identifying individual of color to head up the agency.

"While Philadelphia is known as a progressive, LGBTQ-friendly city, we still have work to do," the far-left Kenney said in a statement. "I look forward to working with Celena to build a more inclusive city for our residents."

Morrison added to KYW-AM that being transgender and black will be an asset when it comes to the job's demands of dealing with issues of race and gender.

"Trans folks are not being accepted," Morrison told KYW. "They are not accepted within the LGBT community. They are also not accepted within the black community. That double marginalization calls for a different type of support."

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