ICE Takes Ocean Township Man Into Custody

OAKHURST, NJ — Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) did removal operations in Ocean Township earlier this month, and ICE took a man into custody.

ICE agents took Elias Cruz-Zarate into custody on June 4, the federal agency announced. This was during a targeted enforcement operation in Oakhurst.

ICE described Cruz as a criminal alien from Mexico. ICE said Cruz illegally re-entered the United States after he voluntarily left the country in 2020. He has a criminal history and two prior convictions for simple assault within the U.S.

ICE, operating out of their Newark field office, continues to arrest people in New Jersey. The ICE Newark Twitter page lists all their most recent enforcement actions in New Jersey: https://x.com/ERONewark

On Monday, ICE law enforcement officers said they were doing a targeted vehicle stop in Manahawkin when the driver deliberately drove into the ICE agent. The ICE officer fired his gun at the driver. The driver fled the scene and remains at-large.

ICE said this happened while they were trying to arrest Freidrich Castillo-Ormeno, an illegal alien from Peru. He was given a final order of removal by an immigration judge on January 30, 2026.

"ICE law enforcement officers attempted to conduct a vehicle stop," ICE Newark said on its Twitter page. "The driver then weaponized his vehicle and struck an officer resulting in the officer discharging his weapon."The ICE officer that was hit by the car was injured and he was taken to a local hospital for treatment. The FBI is now investigating.

ICE said Monday: "There is a pattern of vehicle attacks against our officers. Our law enforcement officers are facing a 3,300 percent increase in vehicle attacks against them."