Federal immigration arrests and a new drone detection system at the Texas Department of Public Safety headlined law enforcement developments this week as the federal government shutdown entered its third week.
The Department of Homeland Security claimed that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents are continuing to make arrests of violent offenders despite not being paid because of what the agency called “the Democrats’ government shutdown.”
DHS Arrests Alleged Criminal Aliens
In an X post on October 15, DHS wrote, “Despite the Democrats’ government shutdown, our brave law enforcement officers are risking their lives WITHOUT PAY to arrest and remove the worst of the worst from our homeland. Here are a few criminals arrested by @ICEgov yesterday.”
A subsequent tweet identified one of those suspects as “Adrian Alberto Morales-Maldonado, a criminal illegal alien from Mexico, convicted of aggravated robbery in Hidalgo County, Texas.”
In a press release issued the same day, DHS said ICE officers were “risking their lives amid a 1000% increase in assault against them, bounties on their heads and threats to their families from foreign and domestic terrorists,” and claimed they were now “working without pay because of the Democrats’ government shutdown.”
The release stated that ICE had arrested several individuals described as “the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens.” Those listed included Morales-Maldonado and others allegedly convicted of crimes ranging from child sexual assault to large-scale drug trafficking.
“It’s time for Democrats to end the government shutdown, so our ICE officers can get their paychecks as they work to make America safe again,” said Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary for public affairs at DHS.
Another DHS post in the same thread identified a separate suspect as “Edgar Ivan Ponce-Aldaco, a criminal illegal alien from Mexico, convicted of conspiracy to possess with the intent to sell or distribute more than 50 kilos of marijuana in Comstock, Texas.”
The bust of this apparent marijuana maven followed other law enforcement actions against the substance in DFW.
In August, Dallas police seized a large quantity of narcotics during a separate operation in Southwest Dallas, according to a report from The Dallas Express.
Nearly 400 pounds of marijuana were confiscated from a storage facility after officers received a tip about an incoming drug shipment, the outlet reported. The Special Investigations Division’s Organized Crime & Racketeering Squad executed a warrant at a location on Communications Drive, where detectives allegedly found about 398 pounds of marijuana.
“Anytime we get drugs off the street, it’s a success – and almost 400 pounds of marijuana taken off the street represents a significant success,” said Major Yancey Nelson, commander of the division.
One suspect, identified as 47-year-old Zhenqi Lin, was charged with possession of marijuana between 50 and 2,000 pounds, a second-degree felony.
DPS Deploys Drone Detection System
While federal officers reportedly continued operations without pay, the Texas Department of Public Safety announced a technological milestone in state law enforcement.
In an October 15 release, DPS said it became the first agency in the nation to deploy Airborne Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems (ACUS), a helicopter-mounted system designed to detect and respond to drones that could threaten public safety or interfere with emergency operations.
“As drone use continues to evolve and expand across the country, so does the potential for these devices to be misused in ways that threaten public safety and law enforcement operations,” said Chief Pilot Stacy Holland of DPS’s Aircraft Operations Division.
The agency said the new system, which became fully operational in August, can “quickly detect, identify and avoid hostile or unauthorized drones — protecting our aircrews, ground personnel and the communities we serve.”
The ACUS platform reportedly alerts pilots and dispatchers in real time to drone activity and can pinpoint the precise geolocation of both the drone and its operator. DPS emphasized that the technology will not be used for direct enforcement or interdiction but for “situational awareness” and safety purposes.
The department described the initiative as a “major step forward in ensuring the safety of aircrews, first responders and the communities we serve.”
Texas Takedown Weekly is a recurring series from The Dallas Express chronicling significant immigration-related arrests, prosecutions, and law enforcement developments across Texas.
To read last week’s edition, click Texas Takedown Weekly: Illegal Abortion Network To Special Interest Aliens (October 10, 2025).
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