Los Angeles, California - A man with a conviction for attempted murder and a woman who has seven convictions for driving under the influence are among the 150 criminal aliens and immigration violators arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers this week. Approximately 40 percent of those aliens apprehended by ICE this week had previously been released by local law enforcement agencies despite ICE placing a detainer, which asks an arresting agency to notify immigration officers prior to an alien’s release from custody.
Of those arrested in Los Angeles and surrounding areas from Sunday through Tuesday, approximately 90 percent had criminal convictions.
“The state laws preventing ICE from working in the jails is significantly impacting public safety by letting serious repeat offenders back out onto our streets,” said Thomas Giles, Acting Field Office Director for ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Los Angeles. “Our presence would be focused in the jails, rather than in the streets, and safer for all involved, if ICE could again coordinate transfers of criminal aliens with local jails.”
This operation targeted public safety threats, such as convicted criminal aliens and individuals who have violated the immigration laws of the United States – including those who re-entered the country after being deported and immigration fugitives ordered deported by federal immigration judges.
Among those arrested during the operation are:
- A 36-year old citizen of Mexico arrested in Huntington Beach, Calif. on Sept. 24, who had been arrested and released by local law enforcement agencies three times this year despite ICE having a detainer lodged. His convictions include attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, failure to register as a sex offender, driving under the influence and possession of a controlled substance.
- A 39-year old citizen of Mexico arrested in Orange, Calif. on Sept. 24, who has seven DUI charges in just over three years. ICE at least twice lodged detainers with local law enforcement agencies – however those holds were not honored, and she was released from custody to re-offend.
- A 54-year old citizen of Mexico arrested in Riverside, Calif. on Sept. 24, who had been legally present in the U.S. Following convictions for DUI, assault with a deadly weapon, and unlawful intercourse with a child he is now amenable for removal.
- A 47-year old citizen of El Salvador arrested in Valencia, Calif. on Sept. 23, who had been legally present in the U.S. He failed to depart the country after an immigration judge ordered him removed in 2013 following convictions for assault with a deadly weapon, burglary, vehicle theft, battery, and driving under the influence. In 2014, he was arrested for first degree burglary and domestic violence. ICE lodged a detainer, but it was not honored. He was most recently re-arrested in 2018 for a charge of vandalism – ICE again lodged a detainer, and again it was not honored.
- A 33-year old citizen of Mexico arrested in Los Angeles on Sept. 23, who was convicted of four counts of lewd acts upon a child and sentenced to more than three years in prison. He is legally present in the U.S., but this conviction renders him amenable for removal to be determined by an immigration judge.
- A 39-year old citizen of Mexico arrested in Garden Grove, Calif. on Sept. 24, who has prior convictions for vehicle theft and for possession of a controlled substance. He also has arrests for driving without a license and violating probation. He was previously returned or removed to Mexico seven times. ICE officers placed a detainer on him when he was last in custody, but it was not honored.
Four of the individuals arrested during the enforcement action have been accepted for federal prosecution for re-entry after deportation, a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Those not being criminally prosecuted will be processed for removal from the country. Individuals who have outstanding orders of deportation, or who returned to the United States illegally after being deported, are subject to immediate removal from the country.
The enforcement actions were conducted in accordance with routine, daily targeted operations carried out by ICE Fugitive Operations Teams with the intent to arrest at-large criminal aliens and other individuals who are in violation of our nation’s immigration laws. The arrests took place in Los Angeles County (76). Orange County (34), San Bernardino County (4), Riverside County (16), Santa Barbara (9) and Ventura County (11).*
The arrestees (138 men and 12 women) included nationals from 12 countries: Argentina (1), Armenia (1), Belize (2), Canada (1), El Salvador (6), Guatemala (9), Honduras (3), Lebanon (1), Mexico (123), Nicaragua (1), Singapore (1), Philippines (1).
ICE continues to focus its enforcement resources on individuals who pose a threat to national security, public safety and border security. ICE conducts targeted immigration enforcement incompliance with federal law and agency policy. However, ICE has made clear, the agency does not exempt classes or categories of removable aliens from potential enforcement. All of those in violation of the immigration laws may be subject to immigration arrest, detention, and if found removable by final order, removal from the United States.