Source: US Department of Homeland Security
WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of Homeland Security set the record straight regarding an April 24, 2025, execution of court-authorized search warrant at a home owned by a human smuggling suspect in Oklahoma City. This lawful operation conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), targeted a property that is involved in a transitional human and drug smuggling organization which trafficked illegal aliens from Guatemala, Mexico, Colombia, Central South America and China around the interior of the United States.
Statement Attributable to Senior DHS Official:
“The April 24 Oklahoma ICE operation was a lawful, court-authorized action explicitly targeting a property, that was a hub for human smuggling, not specific individuals, as falsely suggested by media reports.
“The day prior to the search warrant issuance and the day of the search warrant, HSI agents conducted surveillance, and confirmed via utility records that a member of the Lima Lopez Transnational Criminal Organization was still paying utilities at the residence. The warrant, issued by a Federal Judge was based on an 84-page affidavit detailing probable cause that the address served as a “stash house” for human smuggling, authorizing the seizure of evidence such as electronic devices and documents, regardless of who was present.
“The warrant targeted the property itself, not specific individuals, and its execution was not contingent on the presence of any person. HSI, with Oklahoma state police support, executed the warrant with precision, seizing electronic devices as authorized. This court-authorized search was a critical strike against a dangerous human smuggling network in furtherance of our mission to protect American communities from the chaos unleashed by the Biden administration’s open-border policies.
“This is an ongoing investigation, and we have not ruled out current occupants involvement in the smuggling ring.“
ICYMI: Get the Facts: Oklahoma home raided by ICE is owned by human smuggling suspect The indictment obtained by KOCO 5 shows eight Guatemalan nationals were the targets of the investigation.
KEY FACTS ABOUT THE OPERATION:
FACT: As reported by KOCO 5, the indictment against, “shows eight Guatemalan nationals were the targets of the investigation as part of the ‘Lima Lopez Transnational Criminal Organization.’ Their charges range from drugs, fraud, money laundering to re-entry after deportation.”
FACT: The day prior to the search warrant issuance and the day of the search warrant, HSI agents conducted surveillance, and confirmed via utility records that known and confirmed gang members of the Lima Lopez Transnational Criminal Organization, were still paying utilities at the residence.
KOCO 5 reported that the owner of the home, Cidia Marleny Lima Lopez, “is allegedly a major player in the human smuggling case that agents have been working for years.”
“Records show that she owns the home that was raided as well as another one in Oklahoma City,” KOCO added. “Eight arrests were made in that investigation, which was years in the making and not part of any new immigration enforcement.”
FACT: The warrant, issued by a Federal Judge was based on an 84-page affidavit detailing probable cause that the address served as a “stash house” for human and drug smuggling, authorizing the seizure of evidence such as electronic devices and documents, regardless of who was present.
FACT: The warrant targeted the property itself, not specific individuals, and its execution was not contingent on the presence of any person. HSI, with Oklahoma state police support, executed the warrant with precision, seizing electronic devices as authorized.
KOCO 5 reported that this investigation began “prior to any recent changes to ICE policies.”
CONCLUSION: This court-authorized search was a critical strike against a dangerous human and drug smuggling network in furtherance of our mission to protect American communities from the chaos unleashed by the Biden administration’s open-border policies.