The Department of Homeland Security has released a collection of what it calls the “worst of the worst” criminal illegal immigrants arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Boston.

While national attention remains fixed on the continuing ICE operations in Minnesota, the agency continues to carry out President Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration. The agency says that it has taken dozens of violent, dangerous criminals off Boston’s streets, including the following seven “worst of the worst”:

Emilio Pineda

Pineda is a criminal illegal immigrant from El Salvador who ICE says has re-entered and committed serious crimes in the United States several times. ICE agents apprehended Pineda in Everett in June on assault and battery, violating a restraining order, and drunk driving charges. He was convicted of aggravated assault of a family member.

He was also the subject of two arrest warrants after not showing up to court related to charges of leaving the scene of an accident and a compulsory insurance violation.

Pineda has been deported from the United States twice, with ICE Boston arresting and deporting him on two separate occasions between November 2015 and July 2016.

Pineda is in ICE custody pending his removal from the United States.

Eladio Santos Oritz

This illegal immigrant from the Dominican Republic was arrested by ICE in Boston and convicted of trafficking over 400 grams of fentanyl. heroin and cocaine, according to court records. He was sentenced to 74 months in federal prison by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani in October on assault and drug trafficking charges. Court records indicate Ortiz will be subject to deportation proceedings once he is released from prison.

Eduardo Ramirez

This Guatemalan national was arrested on the streets of Boston by ICE and convicted of aggravated assault with a weapon and abduction. The Herald was unable to confirm his current status, including whether he has been deported.

Miguel Chavez

Chavez is a criminal illegal immigrant from El Salvador convicted of sex assault. He was arrested by ICE agents in Boston back in April on charges re-entering the country illegally after already being deported in 2013. 

In May, he was indicted by a federal grand jury in Massachusetts on the illegal re-entry charges.

Jorge Esteban Luebbert Acuna

This Mexican illegal immigrant has been convicted of assault, burglary, and fraud as well as making false statements to federal officers. ICE agents took Acuna off the streets in 2025.

The Herald was unable to obtain the status of his legal proceedings from DHS.

Luiz Soares De Lima

A Braziiian national, De Lima is a criminal illegal alien arrested by ICE agents in Boston. He was convicted of aggravated assault and a sex offense.

Mahmoud Shamseddine

This criminal illegal immigrant from Sierra Leone has been convicted of assault, aggravated assault, selling cocaine, and police officer strongarm. It is unclear where Shamseddine is being held in custody or if he has been deported.

“Every day, DHS enforces the laws of the nation across the country including in Boston. We do not discuss future or potential operations,” a DHS spokesperson told the Herald in a written statement.

The list comes as Democratic politicians in Boston and the rest of Massachusetts have expressed concern over rumors of a larger ICE operation coming back to the Bay State after a shipment of 24 SUVs was delivered to the agency’s regional headquarters in Burlington.

When asked Wednesday if her office is preparing for an increased ICE presence, Gov. Maura Healey denounced the agency and Trump for leaving residents “terrified.” Boston Mayor Michelle Wu expressed concern of a large operation coming to her city when discussing the issue on WBUR on Tuesday.

DHS catalogs all of its “worst of the worst” offenders in a database on the department’s official website.

“Under Secretary Noem’s leadership, the hardworking men and women of DHS and ICE are fulfilling President Trump’s promise and carrying out mass deportations — starting with the worst of the worst — including the illegal aliens you see here,” a statement on the website’s homepage reads.

ICE has arrested several other dangerous, criminal illegal immigrants across Massachusetts in two larger operations in 2025, including Operation Patriot in May and Operation Patriot 2.0 in September. A number of arrests made in those operations were of illegal immigrants with detainers that were left ignored by Massachusetts courts.