Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) voiced strong support for a recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation in Texas that led to the arrest of over 200 undocumented immigrants accused or convicted of sex crimes involving children.
“I do fully support moves like these,” Fetterman wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “This makes our nation more secure and all our children safer.”
The six-month sting in the Houston area, disclosed by ICE on Monday, resulted in 214 arrests tied to child sex offenses. Among those taken into custody was Jose Guadalupe Meza, a 40-year-old repeat offender from Mexico with four prior deportations. He was arrested on June 24 and deported the following day.
While Fetterman backed the enforcement operation, he has previously opposed sweeping Republican immigration proposals—like the Trump-endorsed “Big, Beautiful Bill,” which sought major ICE funding and the completion of the border wall.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) took an even tougher stance, calling for capital punishment:
“Skip deportation. Go directly to the death penalty. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200,” she posted.
ICE officials hailed the Houston operation as a milestone in their efforts to remove violent criminals and gang members from the U.S. “We’re seeing historic progress,” said acting Houston field office director Paul McBride.
Backlash Mounts Over DHS Secretary Kristi Noem’s Flood Response
In unrelated developments, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem is under fire over the federal government’s response to devastating July 4 flooding in Texas. Newly surfaced texts show Kerrville city officials mocking Noem, with one referring to her as “Homeland Barbie” in messages obtained by KSAT.
Critics slammed the tone as inappropriate given the extensive damage to the Texas Hill Country.
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) criticized FEMA’s reduced staffing during the disaster, though he stopped short of directly blaming Noem. In a Fox News interview, Noem defended the response, noting that over 700 FEMA personnel and Coast Guard members were quickly dispatched after consultations with Texas officials.