The Department of Homeland Security announced Friday that Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers arrested several illegal aliens on Thursday, including foreign nationals convicted of child sex trafficking, rape, and drug trafficking.

"Just yesterday, ICE arrested child sex traffickers, violent sexual predators, drug traffickers, and other public safety threats who have no business remaining in our country," acting Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Lauren Bis said in a news release provided to Newsmax.

She said, "Sanctuary politicians' anti-ICE rhetoric has contributed to our officers facing a more than 1,300% increase in assaults against them.

"Despite these smears, ICE will continue to get criminals off our streets. Under President Trump and Secretary Mullin, DHS is putting Americans first."

The arrests were part of enforcement operations targeting illegal aliens with criminal records, according to DHS.

DHS said those arrested Thursday included the following (countries of origin in parentheses):

• Juan Manuel Curiel-Banuelos (Mexico), convicted of human trafficking of a minor for a commercial sex act in Ventura, California.
• Nalesh Prasad (Fiji), convicted of rape with force/violence in Sacramento, California.
• Miguel Munoz-Lara (Mexico), convicted of attempted forcible sodomy and forcible sexual abuse in Salt Lake County, Utah.
• Alexander Vasquez-Valentin (Mexico), convicted of possession with intent to distribute a Schedule I/II narcotic in Sussex County, Delaware.
• Emanuel De Jesus Arroyo-Aviles (Mexico), convicted of smuggling of person with intent to flee in Eagle Pass, Texas.