ICE arrests 39 in San Diego-area operation targeting criminals aliens and immigration fugitives

SAN DIEGO - A total of 39 criminal aliens, immigration fugitives and immigration violators are facing deportation following a three-day enforcement operation carried out by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Fugitive Operations Teams (FOTs) in San Diego County last week.

Of those taken into custody, 26 were immigration fugitives with outstanding orders of deportation, or previously deported aliens who returned to the United States illegally after being removed. Fifty percent of the aliens arrested during the enforcement action also had criminal records, in addition to being in the country illegally. Their criminal histories included prior arrests and convictions for a variety of violations, including domestic violence, indecent exposure, theft, vehicle theft, fraud, driving under the influence and drug charges.

Since many of the individuals have outstanding orders of deportation or have been previously deported, they are subject to immediate removal from the country. The remaining aliens will be held by ICE pending a hearing before an immigration judge or the completion of travel arrangements. The group included 29 males and 10 females from five different nations - Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Somalia and the Philippines.

Last week's enforcement action was spearheaded by ICE's Fugitive Operations Program, which is responsible for locating, arresting and removing at-large criminal aliens and immigration fugitives. ICE's Fugitive Operations Teams (FOTs) give top priority to cases involving aliens who pose a threat to national security and public safety, including members of transnational street gangs and child sex offenders.

In fiscal year 2010 (through Aug. 20), ICE's FOTs nationwide have made 30,787 arrests. More than 89 percent of those arrests involved immigration fugitives and aliens with prior criminal convictions. Locally, the San Diego FOTs have made 1,343 total arrests in fiscal year 2010 through Sept. 19, surpassing the 1,157 total arrests made in all of fiscal year 2009.

As a result of the FOT's efforts, the nation's fugitive alien population continues to decline. Estimates now place the number of immigration fugitives in the United States as slightly under 525,000, a decrease of more than 71,000 since October 2007.

The officers who conducted last week's operation received substantial assistance from ICE's Fugitive Operations Support Center (FOSC) located in Williston, Vermont. The FOSC conducted exhaustive database checks on the targeted cases to help ensure the viability of the leads and accuracy of the criminal histories. The FOSC was established in 2006 to improve the integrity of the data available on at large criminal aliens and immigration fugitives nationwide. Since its inception, the FOSC has forwarded more than 550,000 case leads to ICE enforcement personnel in the field.

ICE's Fugitive Operations Program is just one facet of the Department of Homeland Security's broader strategy to heighten the federal government's effectiveness at identifying and removing dangerous criminal aliens from the United States. Other initiatives that figure prominently in this effort are the Criminal Alien Program, Secure Communities and the agency's partnerships with state and local law enforcement agencies under 287(g).

20 arrested in Chicago area during ICE operation targeting gang members

CHICAGO - Agents with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), in close partnership with local law enforcement, arrested 20 suspected gang members during a three-day operation last week. This is the latest local effort in an ongoing national ICE initiative to target foreign-born gang members.

The arrests were made as part of Operation Community Shield, a national initiative whereby ICE partners with other federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to target the significant public safety threat posed by transnational street gangs. Partnerships with local law enforcement agencies are essential to the success of Operation Community Shield.

The multi-agency operation, which ended Sept. 14, targeted foreign-born gang members and gang associates. All 20 men arrested are documented members of the following street gangs: Latin Kings, Belizean Bloods, Two-Six Boys, Sureño 13s and Latin Dragons.

Sixteen of those arrested have prior criminal convictions. Some of their convictions include: aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, drug possession with intent to distribute, criminal trespass, disorderly conduct, aggravated drunken driving, and retail theft.

The nationality breakdown of those ICE arrested include: 15 from Mexico, four from Belize, and one from Jamaica. Arrests were made in the following Illinois communities: Addison, Bensenville, Carpentersville and Chicago.

Two of those arrested by ICE have been presented for federal prosecution for illegally re-entering the U.S. after being deported, which is a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison. All 20 men are currently in ICE custody on administrative immigration violations, and are pending deportation. ICE does not release the names of those arrested on administrative immigration charges.

"Street gangs operate as criminal organizations and are responsible for committing a significant amount of crime in our communities," said Gary Hartwig, special agent in charge of ICE HSI in Chicago. "ICE works closely with our local law enforcement partners to identify, locate and arrest these gang members in the name of public safety."

ICE was assisted in the operation by the U.S. Diplomatic Security Service and the police departments of Addison, Bensenville and Carpentersville.

Since Operation Community Shield began in February 2005, ICE agents nationwide have arrested more than 18,000 gang members and associates linked to more than 900 different gangs. The National Gang Unit at ICE identifies violent street gangs and develops intelligence on their membership, associates, criminal activities and international movements to deter, disrupt and dismantle gang operations by tracing and seizing cash, weapons and other assets derived from criminal activities.

Through Operation Community Shield, the federal government uses its powerful immigration and customs authorities in a coordinated, national campaign against criminal street gangs in the United States. Transnational street gangs have significant numbers of foreign-born members and are frequently involved in human and contraband smuggling, immigration violations and other crimes with a connection to the border.

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Tucson, Ariz. - In six unrelated incidents this weekend, Tucson Sector Border Patrol agents seized more than 4,500 pounds of marijuana with an estimated value of more than $3.6 million.

click for hi-res This truck, which smugglers attempted to camouflage, was discovered by agents as part of a weekend full of major seizures.

The largest seizure of the weekend occurred Friday when Ajo agents responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle in the West Desert. Agents were able to locate and follow vehicle tracks to an abandoned pickup truck containing more than 2,400 pounds of marijuana. The narcotics, valued at almost $2 million, and the vehicle were taken to the Ajo station for processing.

Another significant seizure occurred Friday at the Border Patrol checkpoint on Highway 19, near Tubac, Ariz. A Border Patrol canine unit, assigned to the Nogales station, alerted to a truck during primary inspection. During secondary inspection, agents scanned the vehicle using Non-Intrusive Inspection technology and found more than 700 pounds of marijuana valued at more than $575,000. The truck, marijuana and driver were taken to the Nogales station for processing.

In the final four incidents, agents from the Nogales, Tucson and Willcox stations seized more than 1,400 pounds across the Tucson sector.

"These seizures are evidence that the Tucson Sector Border Patrol is effectively implementing assets to prevent illegal narcotics from reaching the streets of our communities," stated Acting Division Chief of Operations Marcos Garcia of the Tucson sector.

Checkpoints continue to be a successful means to stem the flow of illegal drugs into the U.S. From Oct. 1, 2009, to Aug. 31, 2010, the Tucson Sector Border Patrol seized more than 940,500 pounds of marijuana exceeding $752 million in value.

ICE 'Secure Communities' program now activated in all Texas counties
Secure Communities strategy prioritizes immigration enforcement actions against convicted criminal aliens

DALLAS - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced that its "Secure Communities" program was activated in every county in Texas as of Tuesday. The activation of the biometric federal information-sharing capability enables ICE to identify any alien booked into local law enforcement's custody for a crime. This capability is part of ICE's comprehensive strategy to improve and modernize the identification and removal of criminal aliens from the United States.

Formerly, during the booking process, arrestees' fingerprints were checked for criminal history information only against the biometric database maintained by the FBI. With the implementation of Secure Communities, this fingerprint information is now automatically and simultaneously checked against both the FBI criminal history records and the biometrics-based immigration records maintained by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

If any fingerprints match those of someone in the DHS biometric system, the new automated process notifies ICE. This notification includes aliens who are in lawful status and those who are present without lawful authority. ICE evaluates each case to determine the individual's immigration status and takes appropriate enforcement action. Once identified through fingerprint matching, ICE will respond with a priority placed on aliens convicted of the most serious offenses first - such as those with convictions for major drug offenses, murder, rape and kidnapping.

"The Secure Communities strategy provides an effective tool to help ICE identify aliens in the criminal custody of law enforcement with little or no cost to our law enforcement partners," said ICE Director John Morton. "Applying this biometric information-sharing tool in Texas improves public safety by enabling ICE to prevent the release of convicted criminal aliens back into our communities when they complete their sentences."

"This sophisticated biometrics tool allows us to quickly and accurately identify those criminal aliens who pose the greatest threat to our communities," said Nuria T. Prendes, field office director for the ICE Office of Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) in Dallas

With the expansion of the biometric information-sharing capability throughout Texas, ICE is now using it in 659 jurisdictions in 32 states. By 2013, ICE plans to be able to respond to all fingerprint matches generated nationwide through IDENT/IAFIS interoperability.

Since ICE began using this enhanced information-sharing capability in October 2008, immigration officers have removed from the United States more than 12,200 criminal aliens convicted of Level 1 crimes, such as murder, rape and kidnapping. Additionally, ICE has removed more than 29,500 criminal aliens convicted of Level 2 and 3 crimes, including burglary and serious property crimes, which account for the majority of crimes committed by aliens. ICE does not regard aliens charged with, but not yet convicted of crimes, as "criminal aliens." Instead, a "criminal alien" is an alien convicted of a crime. In accordance with the Immigration and Nationality Act, ICE continues to take action on aliens subject to removal as resources permit.

Secretary Napolitano announces record-breaking immigration enforcement statistics achieved under the Obama administration

WASHINGTON--Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director John Morton today announced record-breaking immigration enforcement statistics achieved under the Obama administration--including unprecedented numbers of convicted criminal alien removals and overall alien removals in fiscal year 2010.

Secretary Napolitano's announcements reflect this administration's continued focus on smart and effective immigration enforcement over the past 20 months--prioritizing the identification and removal of criminal aliens who pose a threat to public safety.

"This administration has focused on enforcing our immigration laws in a smart, effective manner that prioritizes public safety and national security and holds employers accountable who knowingly and repeatedly break the law," said Secretary Napolitano. "Our approach has yielded historic results, removing more convicted criminal aliens than ever before and issuing more financial sanctions on employers who knowingly and repeatedly violate immigration law than during the entire previous administration."

"ICE is committed to tough law enforcement that protects the safety and security of the American people," said ICE Director John Morton. "These record-setting numbers are the result of strong, sensible enforcement programs and priorities, and the dedication of thousands of ICE agents and officers who work tirelessly every day to keep our communities safe."

Secretary Napolitano and Director Morton were joined by Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca, Harris County, Texas, Sheriff Adrian Garcia, and Fairfax County, Va., Sheriff Stan Barry at today's announcement.

In fiscal year 2010, ICE set a record for overall removals of illegal aliens, with more than 392,000 removals nationwide. Half of those removed--more than 195,000--were convicted criminals. The fiscal year 2010 statistics represent increases of more than 23,000 removals overall and 81,000 criminal removals compared to fiscal year 2008--a more than 70 percent increase in removal of criminal aliens from the previous administration.

DHS has also expanded the Secure Communities initiative--which uses biometric information and services to identify and remove criminal aliens in state prisons and local jails--from 14 jurisdictions in 2008 to more than 660 today, including all jurisdictions along the Southwest border. DHS is on track to expand this program to all law enforcement jurisdictions nationwide by 2013. This year alone, Secure Communities has resulted in the arrest of more than 59,000 convicted criminal aliens, including more than 21,000 convicted of major violent offenses like murder, rape, and the sexual abuse of children.

Since January 2009, ICE has audited more than 3,200 employers suspected of hiring illegal labor, debarred 225 companies and individuals, and imposed approximately $50 million in financial sanctions--more than the total amount of audits and debarments than during the entire previous administration.

Granjeno, Texas-- U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers working outbound operations at the Anzalduas, Texas International Bridge seized one AK47 and 10,041 rounds of live ammunition yesterday afternoon.

On September 29, 2010, CBP officers working at the Anzalduas International Bridge came in contact with a southbound 2005 Chevy Trailblazer that was headed into Mexico. The male driver was identified as an 18-year-old U.S. citizen from Mission, Texas. A CBP officer referred the driver and vehicle to secondary for further inspection. In secondary, officers seized one AK47 rifle, 10,041 rounds of live ammunition and one ammunition magazine that were found hidden within the Chevy Trailblazer.

The southbound traveler was transferred to the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement -Homeland Security Investigations for further investigation.

Hector A. Mancha, CBP port director, Hidalgo-Pharr said, "This is one more example of our frontline officers working to secure our nation’s borders to prevent and interdict weapons and ammunition from illegal exportation to Mexico."

Hidalgo, Texas - National Guard personnel helped U.S. Border Patrol agents with the apprehension of 19 illegal aliens, and in deterring suspected contraband from entering the country this past weekend.

At about 2:30 a.m. Saturday, a National Guard soldier manning night-vision equipment near the Hidalgo settling basin observed a group of about 20 subjects making its way north. The National Guard immediately alerted Border Patrol agents of the sighting. Responding agents were able to apprehend 17 Mexican, and two Honduran nationals illegally in the United States.

The 19 illegal aliens were transported to the McAllen Station where they were processed and returned to their country of origin

Later that day at about 3:30 p.m., south of Hidalgo, National Guard personnel observed a suspicious van travel toward the Rio Grande. Agents patrolling the area were alerted and responded. The agents arrived in time to observe 13 men, with 13 bundles, swim back to Mexico. The van, which had been abandoned, was seized.

"Extra eyes and ears do yield results," said Acting Chief Patrol Agent Eligio Peña.