A federal immigration enforcement action at a subdivision in Theodore, Alabama, led to the discovery of two unaccompanied minors and five adult illegal immigrants, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed.

The operation, conducted by ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) on May 15, revealed that the minors, both from Guatemala, had entered the United States in 2023 without guardians. Border Patrol initially took custody of the children before transferring them to the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Resettlement. Neither child was enrolled in school, and authorities said they had no known relatives in the area.

The five adults encountered at the site were nationals of Guatemala and Mexico. One of them had already been removed from the United States twice before. All five are now being held by ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations as they await immigration proceedings and possible deportation.

The worksite encounter took place during a broader push by ICE to ramp up enforcement activity nationwide. Just days earlier, ICE officers carried out a separate operation across Texas from May 11 to May 17, arresting 275 individuals—more than half of whom had prior criminal records.

Of those arrested in Texas, 178 had been convicted of various crimes, including drug trafficking and assault. ICE said the weeklong effort specifically targeted illegal immigrants with criminal histories.

“Criminal aliens have taken advantage of our immigration laws for long enough. We will continue to prioritize public safety,” said Sylvester M. Ortega, acting Field Office Director for ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in San Antonio. “Our mission to protect the American people is stronger than ever thanks to the hard work and dedication of ICE personnel out every day locating, arresting and removing criminal aliens illegally present in our country.”

One of those arrested during the Texas operation was a 34-year-old Mexican man with a felony conviction for illegal reentry. He had been deported twice before and was picked up again on May 14. He now faces new charges related to his most recent reentry attempt.