Steve Cortes, founder of the League of American Workers, said on May 14 that a recent arrest in Las Vegas underscores the importance of immigration enforcement and national sovereignty.
“This dog torture arrest in Las Vegas shows exactly why sovereignty and immigration enforcement matter. When the ruling elite lets illegals like this UK overstayer torture animals in our shelters, working-class Americans pay the price with more crime and less safety in our communities,” Cortes said.
His comments followed the arrest of British national John Young Cotter Johnstone, who entered the United States in 2021 under the Visa Waiver Program and remained in the country after his authorized stay expired in February 2022. The Department of Homeland Security said Las Vegas police investigated animal abuse at the facility where Johnstone worked and seized 35 dogs.
Immigration enforcement data show increased federal activity in Nevada in recent years.
At least 2,155 people were detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Nevada during the first 10 months of 2025, including 633 at the Clark County Detention Center, compared with 140 arrests at the jail in 2024, according to Nevada Current.
Nationally, U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported 15,267 arrests of criminal aliens in fiscal year 2023, including convictions involving assault, battery, domestic violence, and driving under the influence.
Cortes is founder and president of the League of American Workers, an organization that says it uses research and advocacy to support policies focused on American workers.
