On Thursday, January 8th, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a public notice introducing the results of the “Operation Buckeye” conducted recently in Ohio state.
The notice stated that this targeted enforcement operation took place statewide in Ohio from December 16th to 21st, 2025, during which over 280 illegal immigrants were apprehended, including convicted criminals whose offenses ranged from assaulting police officers, robbery, illegal possession of firearms, drug trafficking, drunk driving, to domestic violence.
The notice began by stating, “While the American people were shopping for gifts, attending parties, and celebrating Christmas with their loved ones, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers were actively arresting the most heinous criminals.”
Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary of DHS, said, “We are grateful for our law enforcement officers! The American people should be immensely proud of their ICE officers who worked tirelessly over the holiday season to apprehend the most notorious criminals, making Ohio communities safer as a result.”
The notice also specifically highlighted 8 “as bad as they come” criminals arrested in the “Operation Buckeye,” with accompanying photos. These individuals hailed from Mexico, El Salvador, Venezuela, and Honduras, and were all males.
The Ohio Immigrant Alliance, a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting the rights of immigrants and refugees, stated in a press release issued on January 9th that they confirmed at least 214 individuals were detained in the “Operation Buckeye.” The organization, after analyzing publicly available jail rosters, revealed that 80% of those detained were of Latin descent, less than 10% were African descent, and 93% were males.
DHS has not announced the completion of the “Operation Buckeye” yet.