WORST OF THE WORST: ICE Arrests Murderers, Robbers, Violent Assailants, and Drug Traffickers

Under President Trump and Secretary Mullin, ICE has been unleashed to arrest and remove illegal aliens to make America safe again 

Yesterday, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested more worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens, including those convicted for heinous crimes such as murder, robbery, domestic violence, and child abuse. 

“Every day, the men and women of ICE are working to arrest and remove illegal aliens from our country. Yesterday, ICE arrested murderers, robbers, and child abusers,” said Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin. “Illegal aliens are NOT welcome in our nation. Under President Trump’s leadership, we will always put the safety of the American people first. Arresting and deporting illegal aliens saves lives.”

Yesterday’s arrests include:

Ruben Gomez-Vargas, a criminal illegal alien from Mexico, convicted for second-degree murder and carrying a loaded firearm in San Diego, California.

Lydia Nartin Mike, a criminal illegal alien from the Federated States of Micronesia, convicted for first-degree robbery, domestic violence, third-degree domestic assault, and shoplifting in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.

Eduardo Rivera-Talavera, a criminal illegal alien from Mexico, convicted for robbery with a firearm, battery and willful cruelty to a child, corporal injury to a spouse, driving under the influence causing injury, harassing calls to 911, possessing alcohol as a minor, and manufacturing, selling, or possessing metal knuckles in Santa Ana, California.

Sergio Medina, a criminal illegal alien from Mexico, convicted for larceny and TWO counts of burglary of a building in Terrell, Texas.

Antonio Cortez-Sanchez, a criminal illegal alien from Mexico, convicted for manufacturing/delivering a controlled substance in Penalty Group 1 >= 400g in Houston, Texas.

Americans can see more public safety threats arrested in their communities on our webpage WOW.DHS.Gov.

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Keeping New Yorkers Safe: Governor Hochul Announces Local Cops, Local Crimes Provision Banning 287(G) Agreements Takes Effect

New York State’s Ban on 287(g) Agreements Focuses Local Law Enforcement on Local Crimes

Ensures That Law Enforcement Resources Are Directed Toward Local Public Safety Priorities Rather Than the Federal Government’s Mass Deportation Agenda

Federal Court Previously Denied DOJ's Attempt To Block the Law, Permitting It To Go Into Effect Today

Local Cops, Local Crimes Act Passed as Part of a Comprehensive Package of Immigration Protections To Keep New Yorkers Safe From Federal Overreach

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that the statewide ban on 287(g) agreements in the Local Cops, Local Crime Act, signed into law in May as part of a comprehensive package of immigration protections, has taken effect. The Local Cops, Local Crimes Act ensures that local law enforcement agencies remain focused on keeping New York communities safe, rather than being used for federal civil immigration enforcement, diverting critical resources to do the job of ICE.

“Here in New York, we need local police focused on keeping our communities safe—not serving as de-facto ICE agents, not conducting civil immigration enforcement, and not carrying out the Trump Administration’s callous immigration agenda,” Governor Hochul said. “That’s why I championed our new law banning 287(g) agreements and ensuring local cops remain focused on real crime in our communities. Starting today, ICE can no longer commandeer locally-funded police to aid an out-of-control federal agency with an $85 billion budget.”

Prior to 2025, only one of New York's 62 counties had a 287(g) agreement with ICE. To date, 53 counties in New York have never entered into a 287(g) agreement. Of those 53 counties, seven are among the 25 safest communities in America, demonstrating that 287(g) agreements are non-essential to improving safety in New York.

Since taking office, Governor Hochul has invested nearly $4 billion in law enforcement and public safety leading to record low reductions in crime. Ensuring that these resources continue to be used to drive down local crime and keep communities safe is essential to the Governor's core public safety mission.

Section 287(g) agreements allow local officers or employees to engage in or assist with federal civil immigration enforcement or otherwise perform the functions of federal immigration officers, eroding trust between immigrant communities and local institutions, and making residents less likely to report crimes, seek help, or cooperate with law enforcement. The Local Cops, Local Crimes Act prohibits local governments and law enforcement agencies from entering into 287(g) agreements or similar arrangements that use local resources to detain people for federal immigration violations. 

Mamdani Administration Applauds Launch of Housing Court Fast Track to Get Tenants Urgent Relief Faster

 

Housing Court judges to expedite cases involving vacate orders, immediately hazardous conditions and the appointment of new building management 

 

Fast track will help tenants return home faster after disasters and advance the “Fix the City” initiative to take on city’s worst landlords   

Today, Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani announced a new fast track to expedite the most critical Housing Court cases. Under a new directive from the Administrative Judge of the New York City Civil Court, Housing Court judges will expedite hearing cases involving vacate orders, immediately hazardous building-wide conditions or elevator outages and Article 7A proceedings in which the City or tenants seek the appointment of third-party building management because of landlord neglect.  

  

The new Housing Court fast track will help further the Mamdani administration’s efforts to hold negligent landlords accountable, including through actions outlined in its Block by Block housing plan and the Rental Ripoff Report. Through the “Fix the City” initiative, the Mamdani administration will use a range of enforcement tools, including expedited Housing Court actions, to take on the city’s most persistently negligent landlords. The administration is also advancing measures outlined in the Rental Ripoff Report to more effectively enforce tenants’ rights to functioning elevators and reasonable accommodations when elevators are out of service for extended periods.   

  

Housing Court cases routinely drag on for months or even years, delaying tenants’ ability to return home after a disaster or forcing them to live in dangerous conditions caused by landlord neglect. The new fast track will move the most urgent and complex cases more quickly, with the goal of delivering justice and repairs to New York City tenants without unnecessary delay.  

  

“New Yorkers deserve a government that treats the housing crisis with the urgency it demands. When a building is dangerous, when an elevator is out or when a landlord has abandoned their responsibility to provide a safe home, tenants should not have to wait months or years for relief. This new fast track will help make sure our Housing Court moves with the same urgency as the emergencies New Yorkers are facing,” said Mayor Mamdani. “This is a victory for tenants, legal services providers and everyone fighting for housing justice across our five boroughs.”  

  

“Upholding housing standards is one of the key statutory mandates of the Housing Court. The New York State Unified Court System is committed to ensuring that tenants facing the most severe and dangerous housing conditions receive timely access to justice,” said New York City Housing Court Supervising Judge Jack Stoller. “The Housing Court’s new procedure focuses on matters where city agencies have documented that a building is under a vacate order, lacks essential services, or has elevators that are completely inoperable and the situation is urgent. By prioritizing these matters for expedited resolution, the Court reaffirms its dedication to ensuring safe housing for the most vulnerable New Yorkers while also ensuring that landlords have a right to present their arguments as well. The Court is pleased to work with the City of New York to identify matters that require expedited action.”  

  

“Tenants who are facing immediately hazardous conditions or who are waiting to return home after a disaster deserve a government that acts with urgency. Thanks to the Unified Court System’s new directive, we can more quickly address the most critical emergencies facing New Yorkers,” said Leila Bozorg, Deputy Mayor for Housing and Planning. “This change is an important part of our all-of-the-above approach to creating a city where every New Yorker can live with dignity.”  

  

“Today, we are taking a critical step forward in our commitment to Fix the City,” said Housing Preservation and Development Commissioner Dina Levy. “By delivering justice faster, we will better protect tenants and more effectively pursue cases against willfully negligent landlords.”  

  

“Property owners have important legal responsibilities to properly maintain their buildings and perform repairs, when necessary,” said Buildings Commissioner Ahmed Tigani. “When neglectful and bad actor landlords intentionally fail to live up to these responsibilities, Housing Court is many times the last option for tenants looking to get relief, including those displaced due to unsafe building conditions and those dealing with prolonged elevator outages. This new fast track for Housing Court cases adds urgency and pressure to initiate long-delayed repairs where it’s needed most, getting New Yorkers back into their rightful homes.”  

  

The administrative order creating the fast track applies to:  

•    Housing Part (“HP”) cases with one or more of the following conditions:  

1.    A vacate order affecting one-third or more of the apartments in a building, or the entire building;  
2.    An open, immediately hazardous HPD Class C violation for lack of essential services – including heat, hot water, electricity, gas or water – in one-third or more of the apartments in a building, or the entire building; or  
3.    All elevators in a building or building section being out of service.  

•    Article 7A proceedings in which the City or tenants seek the appointment of a third-party building manager at buildings with an open, immediately hazardous HPD Class C or DOB Class 1 violation.   

  

Housing Court cases in these categories will now be assigned a judge on the same day they are filed, with subsequent filings and appearances held on an expedited timeline.  Once service is completed, the parties will have no more than five days to appear in court. To support the new fast track, the Unified Court System is expanding the number of judges eligible to be assigned to Housing Part and Article 7A cases.   

  

In April, Mayor Mamdani became the first sitting Mayor of New York City to visit an operating Housing Court. The Mamdani administration is also investing in tenant representation, including $14.3 million in FY27 and $40 million annually thereafter, to expand Right to Counsel.  

  

These investments are part of a broader effort to make housing safer, more affordable and more secure for New Yorkers. Through Block by Block and the Mayor’s first budget, the Mamdani administration is investing $22 billion over five years in affordable housing. The administration is also revamping the City’s code enforcement system and supporting organized tenants through coordinated interagency “enforcement days,” roof-to-cellar inspections and other tools. The administration has also implemented new requirements that mandate landlords offer alternative accommodations for tenants in buildings that have been without elevator service for more than fourteen days, when repairs are not being made. Through the Fix the City initiative, the administration is bringing these efforts together to take on negligent landlords and ensure that the City’s housing laws work for the people they are meant to protect.  

  

“The fight against our historic housing crisis demands using every single tool to keep tenants safe and in their homes,” said New York City Comptroller Mark Levine. “Expediting these hearings will go a long way toward clearing the backlog I saw up close when I toured Housing Court this spring. I'm glad to see the City take these steps to ensure tenants don't have to endure months of court appearances or live in unsafe conditions.”  

Permits Filed for 333 East 188th Street in Fordham Heights, The Bronx

Permits have been filed for a four-story residential building at 333 East 188th Street in Fordham Heights, The Bronx. Located between Marion Avenue and Elm Place, the lot is near the Fordham Road subway station, served by the B and D trains. Fran Mrizaj of East 188 LLC is listed as the owner behind the applications.

The proposed 52-foot-tall development will yield 6,628 square feet designated for residential space. The building will have 12 residences, most likely rentals based on the average unit scope of 552 square feet. The masonry-based structure will also have a penthouse.

Chad Firmstone of C2B Architects PC is listed as the architect of record.

Demolition permits will likely not be needed as the lot is vacant. An estimated completion date has not been announced. 

Tetra Tech EC Inc. Agrees to Pay $57M to Settle False Claims Act Allegations for Falsifying Soil Test Results at the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard in San Francisco

 

Tetra Tech EC Inc. (Tetra Tech), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tetra Tech, Inc., paid $57 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations that it fabricated work and falsified data the U.S. Department of the Navy relied on to determine whether the former Hunters Point Naval Shipyard (HPNS) in the San Francisco Bay was free from harmful radiation.

In a lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, the government alleged that, pursuant to contracts issued by the Navy between 2003 and 2014, Tetra Tech was required to investigate the soil and buildings at HPNS and to remediate any areas where radiation was excessive so that the property could be transferred to the City of San Francisco for redevelopment. The government alleged that Tetra Tech instructed field technicians to discard soil samples collected from potentially contaminated locations, replace the discarded samples with “clean” soil known to satisfy the release criteria, and to submit the replaced samples for laboratory analysis. The complaint further alleged that Tetra Tech intentionally manipulated scan results in its database that falsely represented that scans taken at different locations were conducted by the same technician at the same time. The government alleged that Tetra Tech benefited from this misconduct by receiving unearned contract award fees and avoiding obligations to perform additional remediation work, thereby decreasing its costs and increasing its profits.

“We expect companies contracting with the government to do business honestly and fairly,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “This settlement demonstrates the Department’s continuing commitment to hold accountable those who fail to fulfill their responsibilities in providing services to the U.S. military.”

“Over the past two decades, the federal government has dedicated significant resources to ensuring that the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard is free from harmful radiation and safe for public use. This has been a critical project for the Hunters Point community and the federal government, and it should have been just as important to the contractor that the government selected and paid to perform radiological testing and remediation at the site,” said U.S. Attorney Craig H. Missakian for the Northern District of California. “This litigation and settlement send a clear message that the government will hold contractors accountable for knowingly defrauding taxpayers by flouting their duties.”

“By falsifying work claims and manipulating critical data, Tetra Tech put its own financial interests ahead of its commitments to the Department of the Navy, potentially placing the health and safety of the American people at risk,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Brian Merkal of the NCIS Economic Crimes Field Office. “NCIS and our federal partners remain committed to protecting the integrity of the procurement process within the Department of War.”

The settlement resolves allegations filed under the qui tam or whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the government’s recovery. The Act permits the United States to intervene and take over responsibility for litigating these cases, as the United States did here. The consolidated qui tam cases are captioned United States ex rel. Jahr, et al., v. Tetra Tech EC, Inc., Case No. 13-3835 (N.D. Cal.) and were brought by Arthur R. Jahr III, Elbert G. Bowers, Susan V. Andrews, Archie R. Jackson, Anthony Smith, Donald K. Wadsworth, and Robert McLean, former employees and contractors of Tetra Tech. The relators’ share of the settlement is approximately $11,970,000.  

The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Civil Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California, with assistance from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and the Defense Contract Audit Agency. The Justice Department also expresses its appreciation for the assistance provided by the Department of Navy, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

The matter was handled by Civil Division Trial Attorney Jonathan Hoerner and Assistant U.S. Attorney Savith Iyengar for the Northern District of California.

This year the Administration launched the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division to enhance the Administration’s war on fraud, waste, and abuse in federal programs. When unscrupulous actors exploit these programs for their own financial gain, they defraud the government, harm the people these programs are designed to aid and protect, and undermine American businesses that play by the rules.  The Civil Division’s FCA enforcement plays a critical role in combatting such fraudulent schemes, recovering billions of dollars for the American taxpayers, and holding wrongdoers accountable. FCA matters will continue to be on the forefront of the battle against fraud, and the Civil Division’s FCA work will support and advance the mission of the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division.

The United States also recovered $40 million in a separate settlement under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), also known as Superfund, that was entered by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California on July 2, 2025.

The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.

Governor Hochul Announces Start of Construction on 80-Unit Affordable Housing Development in Tupper Lake

Former Oval Wood Dish Factory To Be Transformed From Vacant Factory Into Mixed-Use, Modern Complex

Downtown Revitalization Initiative Award Will Improve Village’s Waterfront Uptown District

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the start of construction on the former Oval Wood Dish Factory, a $46 million, 80-unit mixed-use affordable development in the village of Tupper Lake, Franklin County. The project will transform a long-vacant, former industrial factory into modern apartments and commercial space. Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) has created or preserved more than 2,500 affordable homes in the North Country. The Oval Wood Dish Factory continues this effort and is part of Governor Hochul’s $25 billion five-year Housing Plan, which is on track to create or preserve 100,000 affordable homes statewide.

“Oval Wood Dish Factory is a great example of how state, local and private partnership can work together to transform an underutilized industrial site into a vibrant neighborhood asset,” Governor Hochul said. “This development will breathe new life into a vacant factory while also filling the need for affordable housing in Tupper Lake.

Apartments at Oval Wood Dish Factory will be affordable to households earning up to 90 percent of the Area Median Income. The building will have fully accessible and adaptable apartments. There are four units to accommodate residents with mobility disabilities and two units to accommodate residents with sensory disabilities.

Developed by Housing Visions, Lahinch Group and Braxton Capital, Oval Wood Dish Factory advances the State’s revitalization efforts in Tupper Lake. The development will include more than 25,000 square feet of commercial space, a fitness room, a courtyard, a playground and walking paths. It will have Energy Star appliances and efficient lighting.

The former factory, originally built in 1916 as headquarters for the Oval Wood Dish company, produced a wide range of wooden products such as oval wooden dishes, bowling pins and hardwood flooring. Before closing in 1964, the factory operated 24 hours a day and employed more than 500 people. From 2003 to 2008, Jarden Plastic Solutions used the factory to make a variety of plastic items, including utensils. The site was listed in the State and National Registers of Historic Places in 2021.

The project will be all-electric, with cold-climate heat pump technology providing efficient heating and cooling even through the depths of an Adirondack winter. A whole-building ventilation system will continuously provide fresh air while recovering heat that would otherwise be lost, helping maintain comfortable, healthy indoor environments.

The rehabilitation of Oval Wood Dish Factory addresses unmet housing demand in the Adirondack region and improves the quality of life for residents and the surrounding neighborhood. This project will assist in both retaining current residents of Tupper Lake, where affordable housing options are limited, and with attracting new residents and businesses.

Addressing the North Country’s housing shortage is a top priority for the North Country Regional Economic Development Council. Because housing availability is critical to recruitment and retention of the workforce essential for regional growth, key initiatives are actively moving forward — including this development and the launch of Accelerate Workforce Housing, announced by Governor Hochul as a multi-year, multi-partner initiative to address the critical shortage of housing for working families and individuals in the North Country region.

Oval Wood Dish Factory will contribute to the continued revitalization efforts in uptown Tupper Lake, a Round 5 Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) recipient. Additional projects awarded funding through the State’s revitalization program include Restore 70 Park Street, Create Timberjaxx Pass Miniature Golf, the Energize Uptown Small Project Fund, Upgrade and Enhance Tupper Arts' Presence in Uptown, Redevelop the Oval Lofts and Enhance the Uptown Streetscape. Other North Country DRI winners include Plattsburgh, Watertown, Saranac Lake, Potsdam, Massena, Ticonderoga, Lowville, Malone and Ogdensburg.

Financing for Oval Wood Dish Factory includes a mix of public and private sources, including Federal and State Low-Income Housing Tax Credits from HCR that are expected to generate more than $17 million in equity. Federal and state historic tax credits facilitated by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation are expected to generate an estimated $10 million in equity. The project also benefits from $9 million in HCR subsidy, $2 million through the Department of State’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative, and $7 million in subsidy from Empire State Development. Eight units will receive Section 8 Project-Based Vouchers administered by HCR. 

Attorney General James Releases Statement on Supreme Court Mail-In Voting Decision

 

New York Attorney General Letitia James today released the following statement after the Supreme Court stayed a lower court’s order protecting access to mail-in voting for the 2026 midterm elections:

“This decision is a painful setback, but it will not be the final word. The right to vote is sacred, and no administration should be allowed to put that right in jeopardy by making it harder for eligible voters to cast their ballots.

“This fight is far from over. We are exploring our legal options.”

Attorney General James, 22 other attorneys general, and the governor of Pennsylvania, filed a lawsuit on April 3 challenging the president’s executive order that would have upended state election systems, baselessly restricted mail-in voting, and threatened election officials with prosecution for carrying out their duties. On June 25, the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts granted the coalition's motion for summary judgment and blocked key provisions of the executive order. After the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit declined to overturn the ruling, the Trump administration appealed to the Supreme Court, and today the Supreme Court granted the administration’s motion for a stay of the District Court's decision.

Henderson Drug Kingpin Sentenced to Almost 27 Years in Federal Prison

 

A federal judge sentenced Alexander Trowbridge, also known as “Snow,” 41, of Henderson, NC, to almost 27 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl and more than 2.2 pounds of heroin; possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and possession of a firearm by a felon.  

“This sentence reflects the commitment of law enforcement agencies working together to hold those who traffic fentanyl accountable,” said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “Through strong partnerships and coordinated enforcement, we will continue disrupting the flow of this deadly drug and doing everything we can to keep our communities safe. Together, we are working toward a Fentanyl Free America.”

In August 2019, the DEA, ATF, and other state and local law enforcement agencies, including the Henderson Police Department, initiated an investigation into a drug trafficking organization (DTO) in Henderson, North Carolina. 

The DTO obtained kilogram-level quantities of heroin and fentanyl from New Jersey and sold the drugs throughout Vance, Durham, Warren, Wake, Wilson, Franklin, and Granville counties. They regularly distributed fentanyl in baggies marked with a “Toy Story” stamp; a trademark they used to identify their product.

Law enforcement identified Trowbridge as the leader of the organization and, through controlled purchases along with physical and electronic surveillance, pinpointed several locations in Henderson used by the group, including 56 Kelly Road, 100 Kelly Road, and 66 Pinecone Lane.

The group would hide heroin and fentanyl in various places inside residences, as well as in buckets, stacks of tires, or in the woods out around the property. Drone footage showed that members of the DTO regularly drove back and forth between 66 Pinecone Lane to 56 Kelly Road, from the stash house to the trap house. They conducted hand-to-hand transactions selling drugs to customers at the trap house. Trowbridge often used numerous drug mules to transport and sell his drugs. In one instance, authorities stopped one of his mules in Maryland and found more than 2 pounds of fentanyl in the mule’s car.

The investigative findings set the stage for the next phase of the operation, culminating on November 17, 2022, when law enforcement simultaneously executed search warrants at 66 Pinecone Lane, 56 Kelly Road, and 100 Kelly Road. During those searches, authorities seized the following:

• 66 Pinecone Lane:

• 38 grams of a heroin/fentanyl mixture stamped with a “Toy Story” emblem (found in a bucket in the wood line)

• Four shotguns

• Four rifles

• A loaded 9mm handgun

• A 31‑round magazine

• A .45‑caliber handgun

• Multiple firearm magazines, including a drum magazine

• More than 2,000 rounds of assorted ammunition

• 56 Kelly Road:

• A .40‑caliber firearm

• A large‑capacity magazine

• 25 rounds of .40‑caliber ammunition

• Four rounds of .38‑caliber ammunition

• $10,304 in U.S. currency

• A stolen firearm

• 100 Kelly Road:

• A loaded rifle

• $88,931 in U.S. currency

• A loaded 9mm handgun with an extended magazine

• 80 grams of heroin and fentanyl stamped with a “Toy Story” emblem (found in a bucket in the woods between 56 Kelly Road and 100 Kelly Road)

Several DTO members have already been convicted and sentenced in federal court for their roles in the drug trafficking organization. Bridgett Burrows; seven and a half years in federal prison; Marques D. Gray eight years; Daquan Lovely; eight years and one month; Joseph Trowbridge; seven years; and Dwayne Trowbridge eight years. 

“Drug trafficking organizations can no longer hide in Eastern North Carolina,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “We shut down this network, and we are coming for the rest to clean these predators off our streets and protect the citizens. If you sell drugs, we will find you, prosecute you, and put you in prison for a long time. Simple lesson: Drugs kill; prison awaits—do right.”

“This investigation is another example of what can be accomplished when local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies work together toward a common mission. Partnerships make our communities safer and send a clear message to drug traffickers: there is no jurisdictional boundary that will protect you from our unified law enforcement efforts,” said Marcus Barrow, Henderson Police Chief. 

This prosecution is part of Operation TYM 2 Block the Bridge of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.