Steve Cortes, founder of the League of American Workers, said that the arrest of Carlos Ramirez, a Salvadoran noncitizen with four prior illegal entries and violent charges, highlights the national consequences of failed border enforcement and the danger posed by repeat offenders. This statement was made to North Fairfax News.
“When a violent illegal crosses our border four times and still walks the streets of Virginia, that’s not ‘immigration policy’, that’s national betrayal,” said Cortes, President. “A government that won’t defend its citizens from predators like Carlos Ramirez forfeits its moral legitimacy. Law and order isn’t cruelty. It’s civilization itself.”
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced it had arrested Carlos Ramirez in Arlington, Virginia. Ramirez is a Salvadoran national with four prior illegal entries and charges including aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and domestic battery. ICE explained that the arrest was part of its mission to identify and remove violent noncitizens who pose threats to public safety through targeted, intelligence-driven enforcement operations.
According to Pew Charitable Trusts, interior immigration enforcement requires collaboration between federal agencies and local law enforcement to identify repeat offenders and enforce removal orders. Its research indicates that inland states such as Virginia face increasing enforcement demands as individuals with multiple prior deportations reenter the country and commit crimes beyond border jurisdictions.
In August 2025, ICE Houston arrested 822 criminal aliens, gang members, and fugitives during a weeklong operation across Southeast Texas. The agency reported that those apprehended included convicted murderers, child predators, and repeat immigration violators. ICE officials said that the operation was part of the Trump administration’s effort to target “the worst of the worst” and restore public safety through aggressive enforcement actions.
C-SPAN identifies Cortes as the founder and president of the League of American Workers and a former Trump campaign adviser. In a Washington Journal appearance, he discussed voter and economic issues while representing the League, a policy organization advocating for working-class Americans in national debates on labor, immigration, and border security.