The Department of Homeland Security marked the one-year anniversary of the Laken Riley Act this week, pointing to thousands of arrests, deportations, and expanded disaster response efforts carried out under President Donald Trump’s administration, according to Micah Bock, Deputy Assistant Secretary at DHS.
Bock said the anniversary represented a major milestone in federal enforcement targeting criminal illegal aliens and restoring what he described as a focus on public safety and national security.
“This is Micah Bock, Deputy Assistant Secretary at the Department of Homeland Security. This week, our nation marked a major milestone in the fight to protect Americans from criminal illegal aliens. This week was the one year anniversary of the Laken Riley Act, which was signed into law by President Trump on day one of his administration,” Bock said.
According to Bock, the Laken Riley Act requires federal detention for illegal aliens accused of serious crimes, including theft, burglary, assault on law enforcement, and crimes resulting in death or serious injury.
“This legislation mandates federal detention for illegal aliens that have been accused of theft, burglary, assaulting law enforcement or crimes causing death or serious injury,” he said.
Bock stated that in the 12 months since the law took effect, federal authorities have arrested more than 21,400 criminal illegal aliens connected to organized gangs and serious violent offenses.
“In just 12 months, federal law enforcement has arrested over 21,400 of these criminal illegal aliens from gangs like trend Aragua, convicted of everything from homicide and rape to child abuse and drug trafficking,” Bock said.
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He added that DHS remains focused on victims of crimes committed by individuals who were in the country illegally.
“We will never forget the American citizens whose lives have been lost due to criminals who never should have been in our nation to begin with, our focus on protecting this nation will not waver,” Bock said.
Bock also highlighted recent national security removals carried out by DHS, including the deportation of individuals with ties to foreign terrorist organizations.
“Just days ago, DHS deported three former members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, known terrorists who slithered into this country under the Biden administration,” he said.
He noted that those deportations were part of broader enforcement actions during President Trump’s first year in office.
“That’s on top of over 1400 known or suspected terrorists that have been removed and 7400 gang members arrested in President Trump’s first year,” Bock said.
In addition to immigration enforcement, Bock addressed DHS’s response to a major winter storm that affected large portions of the eastern United States. He said the Federal Emergency Management Agency was mobilized quickly under the direction of DHS Secretary Kristi Noem.
“This week, as an historic winter storm swept over much of the eastern United States, DHS sprang into action, unleashing a newly focused FEMA to provide critical disaster response to the states that need it most,” Bock said.
He described FEMA’s actions during the storm, including pre-positioning resources and activating emergency response operations.
“At President Trump’s direction, Secretary Noma mobilized FEMA with speed and precision pre positioning generators, meals, water and blankets, as well as activating our National Response Coordination Center and approving emergency declarations for nearly 900 counties,” Bock said.
Bock said federal, state, and local partners worked together to address storm damage and restore essential services.
“Our federal and local government partners have been clearing blocked interstates In Louisiana, deploying Forest Service crews to Mississippi and Tennessee for debris removal, and have kept power restoration humming under Secretary Noem’s leadership,” he said.
According to Bock, DHS has also moved forward with long-term recovery efforts by releasing significant federal funding for communities impacted by prior disasters.
“DHS unlocked over $2.2 billion in federal funding this week to rebuild communities hammered by past disasters, repair schools, utilities and critical infrastructure across the country,” Bock said.
He concluded by emphasizing DHS’s mission under the current administration.
“Under the leadership of Secretary gnome DHS, continues to deliver life saving disaster response, real safety and real security to American cities, communities and citizens, we’ll see you next week,” Bock said.
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