After Democrats accused ICE of raiding the wrong house and terrorizing a U.S. citizen family in Oklahoma, the Department of Homeland Security fired back, beginning their official statement on X with a blunt response: “Wrong.”
What actually happened was that ICE conducted a lawful, court-authorized search targeting a property long tied to a human smuggling network, not specific individuals. Surveillance conducted the day before the raid confirmed that a member of the Lima Lopez Transnational Criminal Organization was still paying utility bills at the home, which remained legally owned by an indicted smuggling suspect. The warrant, based on an 84-page affidavit, authorized the seizure of evidence regardless of who was present. As DHS stated, “This is an ongoing investigation, and we have not ruled out current occupants’ involvement in the smuggling ring.”
Federal agents executed the search warrant on April 24 at a single-family home in northwest Oklahoma City. According to DHS, the property had been used as a stash house for human and drug smuggling involving individuals from Guatemala, Mexico, Colombia, and China. When agents entered the home, they encountered a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Guatemala and her three daughters, the youngest of whom was 17. Although none of them were detained, DHS emphasized that the investigation is ongoing.
Local news outlet KOCO 5 confirmed that the house remains in the name of Cidia Marleny Lima Lopez, a key suspect in the smuggling ring, and that utility records showed members of the criminal organization were still linked to the property as of the day before the raid, “despite the fact that new residents had moved in.” DHS clarified that the warrant legally allowed agents to seize electronic devices and documents found in the home, regardless of the current occupants.
In a May 1 press release, DHS described the operation as a “critical strike” against a transnational criminal organization and emphasized that it was part of a long-running investigation, not a product of recent immigration enforcement changes.
Condemnation was swift from Democratic lawmakers and liberal commentators. Rep. Becca Balint, a Democrat from Vermont, called the raid a “colossal mistake,” directly blaming President Trump and accusing ICE agents of “terrorizing” a family of naturalized U.S. citizens. Similar criticism appeared in outlets like The Independent, which alleged that the family’s life savings were seized and that the women were “traumatized for life.” However, under federal law, assets such as cash or financial documents may be lawfully seized if there is probable cause to believe they are proceeds of or connected to criminal activity, especially in cases involving money laundering or transnational smuggling.
These reactions nonetheless fueled widespread online outrage, with many portraying the raid as an example of unchecked enforcement and government overreach. But no evidence has emerged that the operation was unlawful. The raid was justified, executed under a valid court-issued warrant, and resulted in no injuries or unlawful arrests. What some call overreach is simply the enforcement of long-standing laws, particularly those concerning human trafficking and illegal immigration. The only change under Trump is that these laws are now being enforced.
The transnational criminal organization at the center of this case is dangerous and poses a serious threat to the U.S. population. While Democrats claim to stand for minorities, groups like the Lima Lopez cartel primarily prey on Latinos—especially illegal immigrants—extorting them, shaking down even legal residents, and attempting to recruit their children into street-level operations.
The day after the raid, on April 25, the Department of Justice unsealed indictments against eight Guatemalan nationals tied to the Lima Lopez Transnational Criminal Organization. Prosecutors allege the group operated for at least four years, smuggling migrants from Central and South America, and even Asia, into the U.S. and harboring them in over two dozen states. Among those indicted was Cidia Marleny Lima Lopez, the legal owner of the Oklahoma City home raided by ICE, who now faces additional charges for money laundering. The case is part of Operation Take Back America, a joint DOJ-DHS initiative launched under Executive Order 14159 to dismantle transnational criminal networks and defend U.S. communities from illegal immigration and associated crime.
Many of those criticizing this and other ICE raids use words like “militarization,” “paramilitary,” or even “Gestapo,” condemning agents for being heavily armed, arriving in force, and entering tactically. But these precautions are necessary—many deportees are gang members or tied to terrorist organizations. In this case, agents raided a known gang hideout expecting to encounter dangerous criminals and trafficking victims.
If Democrats had a better plan, they had 12 years under Obama and Biden to act. Instead, they chose not to protect the border or deport illegals, including criminals who violated their terms of residency. Now, the Trump administration faces the massive task of deporting up to 20 million illegals while being attacked by media, protestors, and public officials who, for some reason, support illegal immigration and crime.
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