U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) announced today the results of a national operation, during which officers apprehended 119 noncitizens who have unlawfully re-entered the United States after prior removals. The operation focused on apprehending noncitizens removed from the U.S. within the last five years pursuant to a final order of removal, who subsequently re-entered without authorization and have been determined to be a threat to national security, public safety, or border security.
“ICE is committed to the safe and effective enforcement of the nation’s immigration laws as our officers fulfill our important public safety mission,” said ICE Acting Director Tae D. Johnson. “This operation highlights the tremendous efforts of our officers to apply an organized and methodical approach to the identification, location, and arrest of noncitizens who are national security, public safety, or border security threats.”
During the nationwide operation, which occurred June 1-7, officers prioritized enforcement actions on noncitizens in accordance with the Guidelines for the Enforcement of Civil Immigration Law issued by Secretary Mayorkas on Sept. 30, 2021.
Among those arrested, 110 have convictions for crimes including, but not limited to, aggravated assault with a gun, robbery, burglary, kidnapping, hit and run, drug trafficking, and child molestation.
ICE officers carefully evaluated individual targets on a case-by-case basis, assessing the totality of the facts and circumstances to make informed arrest determinations. Those cases amenable to federal criminal prosecution may be presented to the U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO). ERO will also appropriately coordinate with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to evaluate completion of noncitizen application(s).
In Fiscal Year (FY) 2021, ERO conducted 74,082 administrative arrests of noncitizens, which included 12,025 individuals with aggravated felony convictions. Offenses associated with noncitizens arrested in FY 2021 included 1,506 homicide related offenses, 3,415 sexual assaults, 19,549 assaults, 2,717 robberies, and 1,063 kidnappings.
The operation follows the six-month anniversary of the implementation of the Department’s enforcement priorities and highlights the progress ICE continues to demonstrate in focusing its limited resources on cases of greatest importance to the national interest and public safety. Members of the public can report crime and suspicious activity by calling 1-866-347-2423 or completing the ICE tip form.
