he U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation that authorities say resulted in the arrest of an MS-13 kingpin spanned both sides of the Missouri River, with one arrest taking place in Omaha and one taking place in Council Bluffs, ICE confirmed Thursday to The World-Herald.
A World-Herald analysis of a video of the Council Bluffs arrest suggests it took place near 35th Street and Nebraska Avenue.
In this screenshot from a video provided by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, federal agents arrest an "MS-13 kingpin" in Council Bluffs on Wednesday.
The agency was not releasing the MS-13 suspect鈥檚 name because the arrest was part of an ongoing investigation.
ICE said the suspect is wanted in El Salvador for aggravated homicide of five victims, attempted aggravated homicide, deprivation of liberty and terrorist organization affiliation.
ICE also arrested 30-year-old Rene Saul Escobar Ochoa, who the agency said is a known associate of the MS-13 kingpin. An ICE spokesperson said they were likely living together in Omaha.
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Escobar Ochoa is wanted in El Salvador for giving orders to fellow gang members to commit a variety of crimes, including multiple homicides, extortion, imprisonment and drug trafficking.
He is being held at the Hardin County Correctional Center in Iowa, about 80 miles north of Des Moines.
ICE said both men are in the country illegally.
Cody Thomas, a spokesperson for the Nebraska State Patrol, said the Nebraska Information Analysis Center found information about a 鈥渒nown criminal illegal alien present in Omaha鈥 and shared it with U.S. Homeland Security.
鈥淭he NIAC Fusion Center is connected with law enforcement entities worldwide and works to quickly disseminate crucial information to keep communities safe in Nebraska and beyond,鈥 Thomas said.
Gov. Jim Pillen in a press release Thursday praised the State Patrol鈥檚 work and said it was a great example of a strong state-federal partnership.
鈥淚鈥檓 very proud of this work, and I鈥檝e asked that the State Patrol continue its work to get these illegal, violent criminals off our streets and deported out of our county,鈥 he said.
An Omaha Police spokesperson said ICE notified them of the operation, but it was not asked to help out.
The Council Bluffs Police Department and Pottawattamie County Sheriff鈥檚 Office said they were not notified by ICE ahead of the arrest of the alleged 鈥淢S-13 kingpin鈥 nor were they involved.
Rep. Don Bacon and U.S. Sens. Deb Fischer and Pete Ricketts praised the arrest of the two alleged MS-13 gang members on social media Wednesday.
鈥淥ur community is safer thanks to the dedicated work of brave ICE agents who successfully apprehended an MS-13 gang member who was here illegally,鈥 Bacon said in a post to X. 鈥淭hank you to our law enforcement officers for their continued efforts to protect our neighborhoods.鈥
鈥淰iolent MS-13 gang members 鈥 who are illegally in our country 鈥 have been removed from the streets of Omaha,鈥 Fischer said. 鈥淭hank you to our law enforcement agencies who work around the clock to keep our Nebraska communities safe.鈥
鈥淚ncredible work by ICE arresting an MS-13 gang member in Omaha today,鈥 Ricketts said. 鈥淏iden鈥檚 Border Crisis continues to leave Americans vulnerable to crime and criminals. That is a fact. Our ICE and CBP heroes should be heralded for their work to make America safer.鈥
The White House also weighed in.
鈥淭his is just more evidence that President Trump is keeping his promise to the American people and making America safe again,鈥 White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said in a statement to The World-Herald. 鈥淟et this serve as a warning to all illegal gang members in the United States: you will be found and you will be removed.鈥
President Trump has long blamed MS-13 gang violence on weak immigration policies. (Scripps News)
Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele has released prison surveillance footage to counter claims of abuse made by Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a suspected MS-13 member deported from the U.S. to El Salvador鈥檚 high-security prison.聽
Photos: ICE raids Omaha meatpacking plant
Federal agents are seen near Glenn Valley Foods on J Street in Omaha on Tuesday, June 10, 2025.
Federal agents are seen near Glenn Valley Foods on J Street in Omaha on Tuesday, June 10, 2025.
Federal agents are seen near Glenn Valley Foods on J Street in Omaha on Tuesday, June 10, 2025.
Federal agents are seen near Glenn Valley Foods on J Street in Omaha on Tuesday, June 10, 2025.
Federal agents are seen near Glenn Valley Foods on J Street in Omaha on Tuesday, June 10, 2025.
Molli Surdell stands outside JBS after hearing reports of ICE raids. 鈥淚 am here to stand with this community and say they are important members of our nation, important members of our Omaha community and I care about them.鈥
Federal agents are seen near Glenn Valley Foods on J Street in Omaha on Tuesday, June 10, 2025.
Federal agents are seen near Glenn Valley Foods on J Street in Omaha on Tuesday, June 10, 2025.
Saul Lopez of the League of United Latin American Citizens asks a representative from the Douglas County Sheriffs Office for access into the plant. He is concerned workers have no translators and no non-government representatives.聽
