ICE Operations Collar Nearly 50 Criminal Illegal Immigrants in Two States

Operations by federal officers in two states led to the arrest of nearly 50 criminal illegal immigrants. The efforts took place in Kentucky and Michigan.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officers carried out a four-day targeted operation in western Michigan to round up criminal illegal aliens. During the operation, officers took 27 foreign nationals into custody–80 percent of those arrested had criminal histories, according to information obtained by Breitbart Texas from ICE officials.

One of those arrested included a 23-year-old Mexican national with a prior conviction for assault on a law enforcement officer and failure to stop at the scene of an accident, officials stated. Another arrested illegal immigrant cited is a 31-year-old Mexican man. His criminal history includes a history of assault and battery, domestic violence, and indecent exposure.

“Operations like this one demonstrate ICE’s continued focus on the arrest of dangerous criminal aliens, as well as those who enter the United States illegally,” Detroit Field Office Director Rebecca Adducci, said in a written statement. “I applaud the dedicated men and women of ICE who work tirelessly to keep our communities safe.”

During the operation, ICE officers arrested five illegal immigrants previously deported from the U.S. These five individuals will face federal prosecution for illegal re-entry after removal.

Those arrested in the Michigan operation (25 men and two women) came to the U.S. from Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

At about the same time as the Michigan operation, ERO officers in Kentucky rounded up 22 illegal immigrants from Guatemala (16), Mexico (5), and Zimbabwe (1).

The two-day operation that ended on December 7 took criminal aliens off the streets of Kentucky, including those with histories of assaulting a police officer, child neglect, forgery, fraud and driving under the influence. Four of the arrested immigrants were reported to be immigration fugitives while six illegally re-entered the U.S.

ICE officials reported that some of those arrested include:

• A 35-year-old Mexican man was arrested Dec. 7 in Florence. He was previously convicted of two felonies, one for assaulting a police officer, and the other for fleeing and evading police. Since he has been previously deported and illegally re-entered the United States, he faces prosecution for re-entering the U.S. after deportation.
• A 35-year-old Guatemalan man was arrested Dec. 6 in Covington. He has multiple DUI convictions and was previously deported and illegally re-entered the United States. On Sept. 2, 2017, four hours after being arrested, Campbell County (Kentucky) Detention Center failed to honor an ICE detainer and released him back into the community. He faces prosecution for re-entering the U.S. after deportation.
• A 39-year-old Guatemalan man was arrested Dec. 6 in Covington. He was previously convicted in Florida for felony fraud-impersonation. He also has numerous DUI convictions along with two other misdemeanor convictions.
• Also on Dec. 6, a 25-year-old Mexican man was arrested in Florence. He was previously convicted of felony possession of forged documents. He had been issued an administrative deportation order and remains in ICE custody pending his removal from the United States.

ERO officials confirmed that illegal re-entry after deportation is a felony punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison, officials stated.

ERO Chicago Field Office Director Ricardo Wong said, “This operation focused on targeting immigration fugitives and criminal aliens in three Kentucky counties, but we routinely conduct operations daily. By removing criminal aliens from the streets, our ICE officers help improve public safety in these communities.”