They gathered in the wee hours of Wednesday morning in a local parking lot. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers, along with agents from a host of other three-letter agencies, tasked with keeping Americans safe. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) are all represented in the parking lot. It’s not a small group; it numbers in the hundreds. Trump Border Czar Tom Homan sends the agents off with a pep talk and says, “God bless you all…come home safe, every one of you.”
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EXCLUSIVE: We were embedded w/ ICE as part of a massive federal operation in Aurora, CA targeting Tren de Aragua gang members. But the op fell far short of its goals, possibly due to leaks to the media that the raid was coming. I’m told 30 arrests were made, & only 1 was TdA.… pic.twitter.com/thO5HsAIbV
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) February 6, 2025
I’m told 30 arrests were made, & only 1 was TdA.
Acting ICE Director Caleb Vitello told me the following at one of the locations:
“I do get the impression that there were some intel leaks here. And I think that, probably, they did know we were coming. But we’re still coming. And just because something leaks now and then, it’s not going to stop us.”
Fox News’ Bill Melugin is embedded with the group and goes along on the raid. The prime targets of the raid are members of the deadly Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. The raid is somewhat successful but nothing like what was anticipated. A feeling begins to emerge from the agents. Is there something else going on here?
READ MORE: What’s Happening at Anti-ICE Protests Across Country Is Raising Eyebrows
One of the first stops, the apartment complex in Aurora, Colorado, made famous, or infamous, that gang members took over last summer. But as agents began banging on doors, identifying themselves as law enforcement, there was plenty of evidence that violence had taken place, but no one opened their doors. The entire complex seemed to be empty. They then went to a second location; they were met by pro-illegal immigrant activists who hurled profanities at them and some who had bull horns shouting instructions to illegal immigrants who might be there in Spanish. This time, there were some arrests, but again, no gang members. Yet again, at a third stop, no gang members and no arrests.
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Caleb Vitello is the Acting ICE Director and had this to say about the raids.
“Yeah, so I do get the impression that there was some intel leaks here, and I think they did know we were coming. But we’re still coming, and just because something leaks now and then, it’s not going to stop us.”
Among those they did arrest: a previously deported Honduran illegal immigrant, wanted for strangulation, kidnapping, and possession of fentanyl. Agents also found a stolen rifle. While some arrests are better than no arrests, the expected arrest count was around 200, but only about 30 were arrested, with only one confirmed Tren de Aragua gang member.
The answer as to who might be tipping off illegal immigrants may lie somewhere in the fact that Melugin reported that at every location agents showed up at, local media seemed to already be there, right along with local illegal immigrant activists. How did they know what was about to happen? The answer to that might be the fact that the raid was supposed to take place a week ago until two local media outlets wrote articles about it. It was then moved to Wednesday. Let’s ask again, how did they know?
Whoa. Someone leaked to Tren de Aragua gang members that ICE was raiding Aurora, CO. When ICE showed up, the apartments were empty.
Protestors also had bullhorns to warn illegals about ICE coming.
Tom Homan now says he’s in touch with the DOJ about potential prosecutions. pic.twitter.com/sNibiEG8ls
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) February 6, 2025
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So, who is leaking? In an interview with Fox News Channel’s Harris Faulkner, Homan claims they know where the leak came from and is addressing it immediately. But he also stated that he is now working with the Department of Justice on where the legal line between protesting and impeding a federal operation lies. That means that standing outside a raid location with a bullhorn might just get you your own set of handcuffs. Homan did not mince words about the raids.
“This is not a game. When we show up at these sites, this is a dangerous job for the men and women of ICE and Border Patrol and all the DOJ agencies. To have this type of interference puts our officers at great risk. Not only the officers, it puts aliens at great risk because anything can happen when we take our eyes off the goal here. So, we’re addressing that in a meeting today.
My colleague Teri Christoph reported on another possible culprit, a George Soros-owned San Francisco radio station that is being investigated by the Federal Communication Commission for broadcasting details of raids over the airways.
As usual, there will be a few far-left illegal immigrant activists who will think an arrest will make them martyrs for their cause. But it will only take a few getting arrested and prosecuted for obstructing a federal investigation for the rest to realize that Tom Homan is not playing games. Potential leakers might want to consider themselves on notice.
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I’m just going to point out that watching ICE raids are far more entertaining than the Grammys will ever be.
— Steve 🇺🇸 (@SteveLovesAmmo) February 3, 2025
