ICE: 55 Illegal Aliens Arrested During Probe of Alabama Cockfighting Operation

Fifty-five illegal aliens were arrested during an operation targeting illegal cockfighting in Blount County, Alabama, on Saturday, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced Monday.

The agency said the Gulf of America Homeland Security Task Force partnered with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency for the joint operation:

The multiagency team executed search warrants related to the prohibition of animal fighting ventures, presence of illegal aliens, and the prohibition of illegal gambling. The Homeland Security Task Force is comprised of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, FBI, IRS, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, and supported by the United States Marshals Service, Customs and Border Protection, ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and the United States Attorney’s Office.

ICE said 60 people were arrested, 55 of whom are illegal aliens, and the remaining five are American citizens. Four of the illegal aliens were charged for illegally re-entering the country after they had been deported.

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Authorities seized over $100,000 in bulk currency and recovered two firearms. There are “five pending federal indictments for the U.S. citizen criminal organization organizers,” the agency said, noting the case will be prosecuted in the Northern District of Alabama.

In his statement, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Georgia and Alabama Steven N. Schrank said, “This illegal cockfighting operation wasn’t just about animal cruelty — it was tied to a broader network of serious crimes, including illegal gambling, drug trafficking, and violent offenses. These criminal enterprises endanger our communities, and HSI remains steadfast in its mission to disrupt and dismantle them. This operation underscores our commitment to public safety and the strength of our law enforcement partnerships.”

It is important to note that President Donald Trump recently directed ICE officers to expand deportations from cities, per Breitbart News. The outlet then reported on Monday the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) “has initiated deportation proceedings against more than 26,000 migrants, many of whom arrived in the United States under former President Joe Biden, in fewer than four months.”

According to ICE’s recent announcement, the illegal cockfighting investigating was part of Operation Take Back America, which is “a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.”

ICE arrested 31 illegal aliens in March at a cockfight in San Juan, Puerto Rico. In May, ICE was involved in executing search warrants in southern Mississippi that resulted in several arrests linked to illegal immigration, cockfighting, and other criminal activity, per Breitbart News.