Bongino: More Than 700 Arrests Made Nationwide In Connection With Anti-ICE Riots

More than 700 people have been arrested in connection with the nationwide anti-ICE riots that continue to plague blue cities in varying degrees of intensity,  according to FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino.

“As I wrap up my third month in the Deputy position in your FBI, I want to update you on some of the actions the Director and I have taken to reform the FBI, while keeping the heat on violent criminals, terrorists, and foreign threat actors,” Bongino announced in an X post Saturday. “Some of these action items you may have read about, some you may have not.”

The deputy director then shared new details on a number of recent FBI operations, including Operation Restoring Justice, which resulted in the arrest of 205 child sex predators and 764 purveyors. 115 children were also rescued as part of the operation. Another mission, Operation Soteria Shield, netted the arrest of 244 child predators and the rescue of 109 children.

“If you’re preying on children, we are coming for you,” Bongino wrote.

The deputy director then addressed the bureau’s response to the unrest in Los Angeles, Seattle, Portland and other deep blue enclaves. “We warned those violently acting out in the recent riots that we would not tolerate it, and we would not forget,” he said.

“Over 700 arrests have been made in coordination with our federal and state partners. Many of those arrests are members of organized groups, and we are pouring through data in pursuit of more bad actors. We are not done. We are in the process of identifying and moving in on those who threw rocks at law enforcement officers and damaged property,” Bongino continued. “I told you we would not forget. I wasn’t kidding. Stay tuned for more.”

Bill Essayli, U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, announced earlier this week that federal charges are being filed against a man who handed out boxes of heavy duty face shields during the most violent night of rioting on June 9. Footagecaptured by a local Fox affiliate shows a man in a black pickup truck dropping off the equipment to rioters.

“No, those are masks. So people are prepping for some sort of altercation with police as we speak,” Fox Los Angeles reporter Matthew Seedorff remarked at the time. “You probably don’t put on a mask unless you have a plan of not wanting somebody to see your face,” he added.

While speaking at a press conference earlier this week, Essayli and senior FBI officials with the Los Angeles field office revealed that active investigations are ongoing to identify and apprehend those who have organized the riots, including those who have provided financial support.