DHS Agents Detain Ecuadorian Murderer and Sexual Predator in Minneapolis

By James Morley III | Tuesday, 06 January 2026 12:28 PM EST
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was present on Tuesday as federal agents detained an Ecuadorian national in Minneapolis who is wanted for murder and sexual assault charges in his home country. DHS officials identified the suspect as Tomas Espin Tapia, a previously convicted illegal immigrant in Ecuador for robbery and extortion. Authorities stated he carried an active warrant for murder and sexual assault at the time of arrest.

The Department of Homeland Security announced that the operation successfully removed a violent offender from Minneapolis streets. “Another murderer and sexual predator off of Minneapolis’s streets thanks to ICE,” DHS officials said in remarks released publicly. The arrest occurred during a month-long deployment by the Trump administration, which sent up to 2,000 federal personnel—including hundreds of Homeland Security Investigations agents and up to 1,500 Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers—to the Minneapolis-St. Paul area as part of efforts targeting alleged large-scale fraud and violent offenders.

DHS did not immediately disclose details regarding Tapia’s immigration status or next legal proceedings in the case.