Eight of DHS’s ‘Worst of the Worst’ illegals arrested in Bucks County

The Department of Homeland Security recently announced its “Worst of the Worst” list comprised of arrested illegal aliens, including eight from Bucks County. 

Bucks County Sheriff Fred Harran (R) drew liberal condemnation and litigation for working with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement through its 287(g) program, a move Harran said was to protect citizens from criminals. 

The two Democratic county commissioners, Diane Ellis-Marseglia and Bob Harvie Jr., passed a resolution claiming Harran did not have the authority to enter into an agreement with ICE without the commissioners’ approval. Harvie, now a candidate for Congress, compared Harran’s policy to Nazi Germany. Harran is Jewish. 

In October, a Common Pleas Court judge ruled that Harran did have that authority to partner with ICE. 

“Today’s court ruling is a victory for the law-abiding residents of Bucks County and a validation of a commonsense approach to public safety, which fully leverages partnerships and resources to keep our communities safe,” Harran said after the ruling. “This decision affirms our ability to use this simple tool to ensure individuals who commit crimes in our county are held fully accountable – regardless of their immigration status.”

However, in November, Harran lost his bid for reelection to Democrat Danny Ceisler who had promised to end the program. 

The Bucks County “worst” on the DHS list were: Venezuelan Alfredo Arias Sanchez, convicted of assault, arrested in Doylestown; Colombian Jeronimo Vasquez Galvis, convicted of selling marijuana, arrested in Fairless Hills; Mexican Jorge Mendoza Garcia, convicted of rape, exploitation of a minor and other charges, arrested in Doylestown; James Sargant of Haiti, convicted of burglary and related charges, arrested in Doylestown; Cuban Yunior Yanes Baragano, convicted of Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act violations and larceny, arrested in Doylestown; Guatemalan Santos Tzub Alfaro, convicted of exploitation of a minor, arrested in Doylestown; Luis Hernandez Infante, convicted of stripping a stolen vehicle and fraud, arrested in Doylestown; and Edison Pena Roman, convicted of check forgery and mail fraud, arrested in Doylestown. 

Seven of the eight “worst” were arrested in Doylestown. But the Doylestown Borough Council last month adopted a resolution to stifle its employees’ cooperation with ICE. 

“The list of the Worst of the Worst is an interesting mixture,” said former Chester County District Attorney Thomas Hogan, now working on his Ph.D.  at the Institute of Criminology at Cambridge University. “There are some seriously bad dudes, but also some low-level mopes. The bigger picture is that open borders is a fundamentally flawed policy, as Western democracies are discovering.” 

In Lancaster, the “worst” list showed Somali national Zakaria Nuur was convicted of drug trafficking; Filmon Gebremichael of Eritrea was arrested in Lancaster and was convicted of sexual assault, aggravated assault, assaulting a police officer and other charges; Kenyan Kevin Gunyanyi was arrested in Lancaster and convicted of assault and terroristic threats.

For Chester County, eight out of nine people who ICE arrested in West Chester were on the list, including Mexican Alberto Velazquez Hernandez convicted of property damage. Also, Ines Juarez-Ramirez of Guatemala, convicted of indecent exposure to a minor; Mexican Omar Narango Hernandez, convicted of robbery, burglary and other offenses;  Victor Ibanez Palacios, also of Mexico, was convicted of sexual exploitation of a minor; Mexican Feliciano Rodriguez-Vargas was convicted of carrying a prohibited weapon;  Mexican Juan Astudillo-Fuentes was convicted of assault; Mexican Cristian Celso-Parra was convicted of dangerous drugs; Mexican Javier Huerta Rosales was convicted of assault and simple assault; ICE arrested Honduran national Dennis Avila Salguero was convicted of fleeing authorities and procuring a prostitute in Malvern. 

In Delaware County, ICE arrested three illegal immigrants on the “worst” list, all in Upper Darby: Guatemalan Ramiro Caal Coc, who was convicted of cruelty toward a child.  Guatemalan Marcelino Canti-Xol had been convicted of public order crimes and trespassing. Also arrested was Emanuel Castro Santos of Mexico, who was convicted of aggravated assault with a weapon.

In Montgomery County, alleged MS-13 gang member, Nixon Coca Martinez of El Salvador was convicted of carrying a prohibited weapon and terroristic threats. He was arrested in Norristown. 

And by far the most illegal immigrants listed in Homeland Security’s Worst of the Worst for Pennsylvania hailed from the reputed sanctuary city of Philadelphia: 41. 

A spokesperson for the Philadelphia regional ICE office declined to comment, referring Broad + Liberty to DHS, which failed to respond to requests for comment. 

However, in their release, DHS officials said, “Under Secretary [Kristi] Noem’s leadership, the hardworking men and women of DHS and ICE are fulfilling President Trump’s promise and carrying out mass deportations.”

Linda Stein is a Philadelphia-area journalist.