U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officers arrested 139 aliens from Sept. 21 to Sept. 25, as part of ongoing enforcement actions targeting immigration violators and those who pose a threat to public safety.
Of those arrested by ICE during the enforcement action 75 had had criminal convictions for Assault; Sex Assault on a Minor; Burglary; Child Porn; Cocaine Possession; Conspiracy to Import Cocaine; Domestic Battery; Driving Under the Influence; Driving While Intoxicated; False Reports; Illegal Entry; Indecent Exposure; Larceny; Lewd or Lascivious Acts with a Minor; Liquor Possession; Marijuana Possession; Obtain Property by Fraud; Possession of Controlled Substance; Prostitution; Resisting Arrest; Sex Offense; Sexual Battery; Traffic Offense, and Vehicle Theft.
“The state of Florida has taken the lead in putting the safety of all its residents and visitors before politics,” said ERO Miami Field Office Director Michael W. Meade. “Because of our excellent partnerships with local law enforcement jurisdictions across the state, we are keeping dangerous criminals from returning to our communities. But there is still much immigration enforcement that needs to be done to increase public safety, as this week’s targeted enforcement action highlight.”
Partner agencies supporting this operation were ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the FBI and other federal and local law enforcement agencies.
Arrests took place in the following Florida counties, including Bay (2), Broward (47), Duval (4), Gadsden (3), Hardee (2), Hillsborough (2), Lake (2), Leon (3), Miami Dade (31), Orange (17), Osceola (2), Palm Beach (12), Pinellas (4), Polk (2), St Lucie (5), Seminole (1).
Arrest examples include:
On Sept. 21, ERO officers arrested a citizen of Colombia in Orlando in support of an Interpol Blue Notice where he was wanted for a criminal warrant in Colombia on charges for crimes against children/production of child pornography. The subject will remain in ICE custody pending removal proceedings to Colombia.
On Sept. 23, ERO officer arrested a citizen of Honduras who had a conviction of indecent exposure. The four-time criminal re-entry will remain in custody pending removal to Honduras.
On Sept. 24, ERO officers in Homestead arrested a citizen of Mexico who was wanted for aggravated battery with a weapon. The subject will remain in ICE custody pending removal to Mexico.
On Sept. 24, a citizen of Ukraine was arrested in Dania Beach. The subject had convictions including offense against user of computers, computer systems, computer networks and electronic devices. The subject will be held in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.
On Sept. 25, ERO officers arrested a Mexican citizen in Orlando where officers discovered multiple firearms in plain sight after the illegal alien freely claimed ownership of the weapons. The investigation is ongoing.
Those arrested represented 20 countries throughout the world, including: Brazil; Colombia; Costa Rica; Cuba; Dominica; Ecuador; Egypt; El Salvador; Guatemala; Haiti; Honduras; India; Jamaica; Mexico; Nicaragua; Poland; Trinidad & Tobago; Turks and Caicos; Ukraine, and Venezuela
ICE lodges detainers on individuals who have been arrested on criminal charges and who ICE has probable cause to believe are removable aliens. The detainer asks the other law enforcement agency to notify ICE in advance of release and to maintain custody of the alien for a brief period of time so that ICE can take custody of that person in a safe and secure setting upon release from that agency’s custody. When law enforcement agencies fail to honor immigration detainers and release serious criminal offenders onto the streets, it undermines ICE’s ability to protect public safety and carry out its mission.
ERO deportation officers targeted at-large criminal aliens in non-cooperative jurisdictions, illegal re-entrants, immigration fugitives, and people in violation of immigration law during the law enforcement action, which ran from Saturday, Sept. 21, to Wednesday, Sept. 25.
In FY2018, ERO arrested 158,581 aliens, 90% of whom had criminal convictions (66%) pending criminal charges (21%) or previously issued final orders of removal (3%). The overall arrest figure represents an 11% increase over FY2017. In FY2018, ERO removed 256,086 illegal aliens, reflecting an increase of 13% over FY2017. Most removals (57%) were convicted criminals. Additionally, 5,914 of the removed illegal aliens were classified as either known or suspected gang members or terrorists, which is a 9% increase over FY2017.
Arrested individuals who have outstanding orders of removal, are subject to immediate removal from the country. Repeat immigration violators that that have reentered the United States illegally after being removed, have committed a felony punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted. The remaining individuals are in ICE custody awaiting a hearing before an immigration judge or pending travel arrangements for removal. All the targeted individuals in this enforcement action were amenable to arrest and removal under the Immigration and Nationality Act.
ICE deportation officers carry out targeted enforcement actions daily nationwide as part of the agency’s ongoing efforts to protect the nation, uphold public safety, and protect the integrity of our immigration laws and border controls. These enforcement actions involve existing and established Fugitive Operations Teams.
ICE focuses its enforcement resources on individuals who pose a threat to national security, public safety and border security. However, ICE does not exempt classes or categories of removable aliens from potential enforcement. All those in violation of immigration law may be subject to arrest, detention and, if found removable by final order, removal from the United States. ICE does not conduct sweeps or raids that arrest aliens indiscriminately.
