From a capital murder arrest in South Texas to a van-wielding suspect dragging an ICE officer through Oklahoma streets, officials this week reported a string of dramatic arrests tied to immigration enforcement efforts.

Here are the week’s biggest immigration-related busts and seizures, as described by authorities.

1. Capital Murderer Suspect Caught in Kenedy County

A Mexican national wanted for capital murder was apprehended by Border Patrol agents and local deputies on July 7 in sparsely populated Kenedy County, which sits between Corpus Christi and the U.S.-Mexico border.

Chief Patrol Agent Gloria I. Chavez posted on July 11: “CAPITAL MURDER SUSPECT ARRESTED On July 7th, RGV BP Agents—working in partnership with the Kenedy County Sheriff’s Office—arrested a Mexican citizen wanted for capital murder. Agents’ vigilance +LE teamwork=results.”

The post included several photos, including one of a black Nissan sedan and another of a heavyset Hispanic man in a gray shirt, bearing a prominent tattoo behind his left ear. Neither the man’s name nor the jurisdiction of the original capital murder charge was released by officials.

2. $3.5M Cocaine Seizure at Historic Hidalgo Port

Customs and Border Protection officials said they seized 66 pounds of cocaine at the Hidalgo Port of Entry after a 44-year-old allegedly attempted to smuggle 25 packages of the drug through in his vehicle.

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“CBP officers at the Hidalgo Port of Entry intercepted 66 pounds of cocaine from a 44-year-old smuggler. Twenty-five packages were extracted from within the vehicle. The case was accepted for federal prosecution under 21 USC 952,” wrote Donald R. Kusser, Director of Field Operations, on July 17. “Another win in the fight against narcotics trafficking.”

The Hidalgo Port of Entry—named for the nearby border city of Hidalgo, Texas—is a major gateway for U.S.-Mexico trade and migration. It sits across the Rio Grande from Reynosa, a flashpoint for cartel activity and migrant crossings.

In 2015, authorities found an identical quantity—66 pounds—of cocaine washed ashore in Galveston. At the time, the stash was valued at over $3.5 million. Adjusted for inflation, that amount would be worth more than $4.7 million in 2025.

3. ICE Officer Dragged by Van in Oklahoma City

An ICE agent suffered multiple injuries after being dragged nearly a block by a suspect’s van during a July 15 arrest in Oklahoma City, according to federal officials.

The agency said its Dallas-based Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) team was detaining Jose Melgar-Rivas, a 34-year-old Honduran national described as an “illegal alien,” when the man allegedly attempted to flee by accelerating his vehicle while an officer was still partially inside.

“Attacks on our officers will NOT be tolerated,” the agency wrote in a July 17 post.
“While ICE @ERODallas officers were detaining Honduran illegal alien Jose Melgar-Rivas, Melgar accelerated his van and dragged an officer nearly a block down the road in an attempt to escape. This resulted in multiple injuries to the officer’s body and ended with Jose Melgar-Rivas in cuffs.”

Photos accompanying the post showed large abrasions on the officer’s arm and leg.

The arrest comes amid what DHS officials describe as a wave of violence against federal immigration officers. ICE said Melgar-Rivas had attempted to flee on foot after the dragging incident but was later captured in a joint manhunt involving the FBI and HSI Dallas, The Dallas Express reported.

Officials say assaults against ICE agents have increased by 830% since President Donald Trump returned to office on Jan. 20, DX reported.

Texas Takedown Weekly is a recurring series from The Dallas Express chronicling the most significant immigration-related arrests and interdictions across the state.
Read last week’s edition here: Texas Takedown Weekly: Border’s Biggest Busts (July 11)