Fairfield police, working jointly with federal authorities, arrested 34 individuals in an operation at and around Sabor Peruano restaurant and nightclub on August 16. The operation was initiated following investigations into two prior shootings at the establishment, which led authorities to identify multiple individuals allegedly in the country illegally. The action drew concern from civil rights advocates regarding immigration enforcement practices during routine traffic stops connected to the operation.

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost issued an opinion finding that Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones is within his legal rights to house ICE detainees long-term in the county jail even when those individuals have only been civilly — not criminally — charged. Yost wrote that federal law permits ICE to contract with counties to provide "housing, care, and security" for detained aliens and that such detention is not limited to 48 hours, but may continue pending a decision on removal. The opinion came after County Prosecutor Mike Gmoser asked Yost to weigh in on potential liability issues arising from the sheriff's contract with ICE signed in February.

Anthony Marcus Kelly, 38, of Cincinnati was arrested on July 19 after allegedly posting threats on social media calling for violence against ICE officers and stating he had acquired firearms. Kelly faces federal charges including threatening to assault or murder a U.S. official and transmitting threatening communications in interstate commerce. Acting ICE Director Todd M. Lyons characterized the conduct as "terrorism" and stated that threats against federal agents would not be tolerated.

ICE removed Daouda Begnon II Kone to Burkina Faso on August 5, 2025, following his arrest in June. An immigration judge determined that Kone had participated in the persecution of others during a 2015 coup attempt and was therefore ineligible for immigration benefits. Kone had previously been convicted in Burkina Faso of complicity in attacks on state security, assault, and murder, receiving a seven-year sentence.

Ohio jails have increasingly served as holding facilities for migrants detained by ICE under contracts with local sheriffs, with records showing a significant expansion of detention capacity statewide during 2024–2025. Several counties, including Butler, Mahoning, Geauga, and Seneca, signed or renewed intergovernmental service agreements with ICE, and data obtained by reporters showed that a majority of ICE detainees held at some facilities had no pending criminal charges or prior convictions. The WLWT report examined detention records to document the scope of local jail involvement in federal immigration enforcement.

Four Mexican nationals unlawfully in the United States were charged with conspiracy to smuggle hundreds of migrants weekly from Mexico, Central America, and South America through Canada and into northern New York. The defendants allegedly charged migrants thousands of dollars each for transportation and engaged in dangerous high-speed vehicle chases with law enforcement during transport operations. The smuggling organization operated for approximately two years across Mexico, Canada, and the United States, creating what investigators described as grave public safety risks.

Vincent Nzigiyimfura, 65, was indicted on charges of visa fraud and attempted naturalization fraud for concealing his role as a perpetrator of genocide when applying for U.S. residency and citizenship. According to court documents, Nzigiyimfura allegedly organized violence against Tutsis during Rwanda's 1994 genocide and was previously convicted in absentia by a Rwandan court. An ICE official stated that HSI is committed to pursuing justice for victims of genocide by ensuring perpetrators "cannot hide in Ohio."

Adiel Hernandez-Orellana, 39, a Salvadoran national, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to illegally reentering the United States after being convicted of a felony. He had been convicted of sexual assault in Sebastian County, Arkansas in 2010 and sentenced to seven years in prison, after which he was removed from the United States; he was re-encountered in March 2025 at the Delaware County, Ohio jail on outstanding traffic warrants. The case was prosecuted by the Southern District of Ohio as part of Operation Take Back America, with illegal reentry after a prior aggravated felony conviction carrying a potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison.

A federal grand jury indicted Anthony Emmanuel Labrador-Sierra, 24, a Venezuelan national residing in Perrysburg, Ohio, on four counts including possession of a firearm by an alien unlawfully in the United States, making a false statement during a firearm purchase, and making or using false writings. According to the indictment, Labrador-Sierra submitted a false date of birth to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services on federal applications for Temporary Protected Status and Employment Authorization Documents in 2024 and 2025, and had enrolled in Perrysburg High School under false pretenses by posing as a teenager. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison on the firearms possession count alone.

Bayron Wuifredo Santos-Recarte, 27, a Honduran national unlawfully in the United States and MS-13 member, was sentenced to 147 months (over 12 years) in prison for kidnapping, retaliating against a federal witness, and unlawful possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. Santos-Recarte and MS-13 associates kidnapped a former federal witness — who had testified against gang members at a prior racketeering trial — at gunpoint from a Nashville, Tennessee laundromat parking lot on November 5, 2023, then assaulted him with a firearm, hammer, and machete while questioning him about his testimony. The victim sustained fractured bones, internal bleeding, and a kidney injury before escaping.