U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducted a significant removal operation in the 33,000-acre Colony Ridge development near Houston on Wednesday. The operation reportedly resulted in the arrest of 118 individuals, some of whom were apprehended during traffic stops. The individuals arrested were illegal aliens with criminal records.
Governor Greg Abbott announced the operation on Wednesday morning, stating he had been coordinating with Border Security Czar Tom Homan “for months” to address criminal activity and illegal immigration in Texas. Homan has indicated the operation is merely the “first phase” of a larger effort.
Among those arrested were individuals charged with offenses including homicide, theft, child sexual abuse, and drug-related crimes. One notable arrest was that of 39-year-old Florentin Chevez-Luna, a Salvadoran national who had been deported three times. He was apprehended in nearby Plum Grove on a warrant alleging repeated sexual abuse of a minor between November 2008 and November 2016.
Additionally, authorities apprehended 34-year-old Luis Miguel Perez, a confirmed MS-13 gang member and El Salvador national who had been deported from the United States seven times. He was taken into custody following a seven-hour manhunt that began in the Colony Ridge communities south of Plum Grove. As of now, the identities of all arrested individuals have not been fully disclosed, and investigations are ongoing.
Approximately 30 miles from Houston, Colony Ridge has stirred controversy with claims that it is a haven for illegal aliens and illicit cartel activities. The development is also the target of a 2023 Department of Justice lawsuit accusing developers of having exploited Latino land buyers through “predatory lending practices.”
Additionally, in March 2024, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit against the Colony Ridge developers, accusing them of “numerous false, misleading, and deceptive sales, marketing, and lending practices that enabled their business model.” Paxton also sent a letter to members of Congress on October 19, 2023 stating Colony Ridge “has become an issue of national concern” because “the development appears to be attracting and enabling illegal alien settlement in the state of Texas,” activity that Paxton believes is “distressing neighboring cities and school districts.”
Colony Ridge, Texas’ fastest growing development, now houses approximately 40,000 residents, a number that has grown steadily since its establishment in 2013. Colony Ridge developers have most likely enjoyed success in part due to support from local politicians. Politicians in the state, including Governor Abbott, have received significant campaign donations from the developers.
