U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on Wednesday arrested two alleged members of the MS-13 gang in Omaha, Neb.
Rene Saul Escobar Ochoa, 30, is described by ICE in a news release as “a criminal alien, known MS-13 gang member and foreign terrorist also wanted in El Salvador.”
“Escobar Ochoa is accused of giving orders to fellow gang members to commit a variety of crimes including multiple homicides, extortion, imprisonment, and drug trafficking,” according to the release.
ICE did not release the name of the second man taken into custody. The law enforcement agency said he’s a “high ranking” MS-13 member who is one of El Salvador’s top 100 most wanted fugitives.
Both individuals were accused of entering the country illegally, according to the release.
“These illegal aliens didn’t just sneak into our country, they brought with them a legacy of violence, terror and death,” said Mark Zito, ICE Homeland Security Investigations special agent in Charge of Kansas City, which covers Omaha. “They thought they could hide in America’s heartland, but they were sadly mistaken, not on our watch.”
ICE did not immediately respond to The Hill’s request for comment on the matter.
The arrests come as the Trump administration ramps up its effort to detain immigrants without legal status who have committed crimes and deter migrants from illegally entering the U.S.
The effort has sparked backlash in some states with sanctuary city jurisdictions, where local leaders have pledged not to cooperate with immigration authorities.
It is part of a mass deportation effort by the administration.
“ICE Officers are herewith ordered, by notice of this TRUTH, to do all in their power to achieve the very important goal of delivering the single largest Mass Deportation Program in History,” the president wrote in a June post on Truth Social.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
