ICE Arrests Criminal Illegal Alien in Texas Convicted of Attempted Murder of Police Officer

As DHS observes Police Week, ICE is removing this attempted cop-killer from our communities

WASHINGTON - The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released the following statement after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested an illegal alien who had previously been convicted for attempted murder of a police officer.

On May 5, 2026, ICE law enforcement arrested Dinh Quy Nguyen, a criminal illegal alien from Vietnam, in Houston, Texas. Nguyen has remained free in the local community for over 15 years despite having a final order of removal and prior convictions for attempted capital murder of a police officer and burglary.

Nguyen was admitted into the U.S. on December 15, 1977, in Honolulu, Hawaii. On June 28, 1989, he was convicted of attempted capital murder of a police officer and burglary. A Department of Justice Immigration Judge issued him a final order of removal on December 30, 1997. That decision was affirmed by the Board of Immigration Appeals on May 26, 1998.

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice transferred Nguyen into ICE custody on March 17, 2011. On June 22, 2011, ICE was forced to release Nguyen since Vietnam would not take him back. ICE can only detain illegals for the purpose of removal.

"As we observe Police Week, the men and women of ICE law enforcement are removing this illegal alien convicted of attempted murder of a police officer from our communities, so he cannot victimize anymore Americans," said Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis. "This criminal illegal alien from Vietnam was also previously convicted for burglary. Under President Trump and Secretary Mullin, we will always stand by our brave ICE law enforcement who put their lives on the line to arrest heinous criminals from American neighborhoods."

Previously, an agreement between the United States and Vietnam made ICE unable to repatriate Vietnamese citizens, regardless of their immigration status or criminal history, if they arrived in the U.S. prior to July 12, 1995. As a result, Nguyen - and other dangerous criminal aliens from Vietnam who arrived prior to that date - were essentially untouchable by immigration officials and allowed to remain. President Donald J. Trump has removed those limitations and made it possible for ICE to arrest and deport Nguyen and other criminal illegal aliens from Vietnam.

He was arrested on May 5, 2026, and remains at the Montgomery Processing Center in Conroe, Texas, pending his removal to Vietnam.

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