News Releases and Statements

During the five-day operation, which ended June 24, ICE Fugitive Operations Team members arrested illegal aliens in Lexington (25 arrests), Grand Island (12 arrests) Broken Bow (2 arrests), and one arrest in each of the following cities: Cozad, Gibbon, Hastings, Kearney and North Platte.

During the five-day operation, which ended June 24, ICE Fugitive Operations Team members arrested illegal aliens in Chicago, Highland Park, Waukegan, Highwood, and other cities in the metropolitan area. Twenty-five of those arrested were fugitives; 18 were immigration violators encountered by ICE officers during their targeted arrests. Of the 43 apprehended, 20 have previous criminal convictions in addition to their administrative immigration violations.

During the five-day operation, which ended June 24, ICE Fugitive Operations Team members arrested illegal aliens in Milwaukee, Kenosha and Racine counties. Sixteen of those arrested were fugitives; 22 were immigration violators encountered by ICE officers during their targeted arrests.

The success of the operation dubbed "Community Shield" was the result of an extensive collaborative effort between ICE Gang Investigation Unit special agents and multiple law enforcement agencies throughout the state including the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice, West New York Police Department, Newark Police Department, New Brunswick Police Department, Passaic Police Department, Union City Police Department, Hudson County Prosecutor's Office, and Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office.

This two-day operation yielded the arrests of 16 U.S. permanent residents whose criminal convictions may render them eligible for deportation, 5 who were illegally residing in the U.S. and 1 who is currently wanted on a warrant of deportation.

From October 2007 through May 2008, investigations by ICE's Office of Detention and Removal Operations (DRO) led to the prosecution of 3,831 illegal aliens for felony re-entry after deportation, compared to 1,808 such prosecutions in all of fiscal year 2007.

Each of the 67 individuals arrested were targeted for their membership, participation or association with violent street gangs. Members or associates of 22 street gangs were arrested during this operation, including: 83 Mob, Brown Pride 13, Hermanos Pistoleros Latinos, Tango Blast Houstone, La Primera, La Quarenta, La Tercera Crips, Latin Kings, Mexican Mafia, Mara Salvatrucha (aka MS-13), NICA'S, North Side Crips, PVL (Puros Vatos Locos), Raza Unida, Ruthless Kings, Sacky Crew, Southside Bloods, Southwest Cholos, Sureno 13, Texas Syndicate, VNS (Barrio North Side) and Westside G.

The flight, contracted by the Office of Detention and Removal Operations (DRO) Flight Operations Unit, carried a total of 83 individuals ordered removed from the United States by immigration courts. Those removed had been held at various detention facilities around the country, and were staged at the Batavia, N.Y., Federal Detention Facility shortly before the flight, which departed from Niagara Falls International Airport.

Of the 1,808 individuals arrested in California, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Tennessee, and Texas, 1,069 were immigration fugitives. An immigration fugitive is someone who has ignored a final order of deportation or who has returned to the United States illegally after being removed. More than 70 percent of the aliens taken into custody are immigration fugitives or have criminal histories.

Among those arrested by the Fugitive Operations Teams in northern California was a previously deported Mexican national whose criminal history includes prior convictions for transportation and sale of heroin. Mauro Preciado-Preciado, 31, was arrested by ICE Fugitive Operations officers at his Sacramento residence Tuesday.

Five fugitive operations teams worked on this Texas operation. Those arrested are from the following countries: El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, Peru, Nicaragua, Kenya, Guatemala and Honduras. The five participating fugitive operations teams are based in Dallas, Houston and San Antonio.

Among those arrested by the Fugitive Operations Teams locally was a 30-year-old Mexican national who was convicted in 1997 for robbery and sentenced to four years in state prison. Last year, Cesar Hernandez-Gallardo lost his appeal to remain in the United States and failed to depart after being ordered deported by an immigration judge. ICE officers also arrested a 37-year-old Mexican national at his residence in Escondido, whose criminal record includes a prior conviction for burglary.

Among those arrested by the Fugitive Operations Teams locally was a previously deported Mexican national who was convicted in the mid-1990s of lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14. Mariano Ceja-Ochoa, 31, was taken into custody by ICE officers May 9 in Dana Point, Calif. Ceja is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney's Office for felony re-entry after deportation, a violation that carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

The eight items, believed to be of ceremonial use, date back to 2000 B.C. from a civilization known as Bactria, located in modern-day Northern Afghanistan. This date and location identify them with what is called "the Bronze Age" of Bactria. They were the metal remnants of items that would have had handles of wood or bone: a spear, two axes, and dagger and knife blades.

Among those taken into custody by ICE was Juan Romualdo Martinez-Baldivia, 40, a citizen of Mexico with multiple convictions including driving under the influence, shoplifting and assault. Martinez-Baldivia had been a fugitive since 2006, when he was ordered to leave the United States by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Last week, 305 of the 389 were arrested on criminal charges. Since then, six juvenile cases were dismissed, and three additional defendants were arrested. Of the 302 persons charged criminally only five have pending cases. As with any criminal case, a charge is merely an accusation; a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

Jose Luis Cuellar-Salazar, also known as Jose Salazar, 33, a citizen of Honduras, pleaded guilty today before United States District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford to one count of illegally re-entering the United States after being deported. This case was investigated by ICE Detention and Removal Operations.

The cache of fossils, including prehistoric pine cones and dinosaur eggs, was seized two years ago by ICE agents at a gem and mineral show in Tucson, Ariz.

The 11 suspects were taken into custody at the following locations: six in the Western District of New York, one in Bradford, Pa, two in W Va., and two in the Cleveland, Ohio area.

During the two-week operation, which concluded Friday, ICE deportation officers located and arrested 332 immigration violators. The breakdown of the arrests by county are as follows: (147) in Miami-Dade, (104) in Broward and (81) in Palm Beach.

During the two-day operation, which ended March 30, ICE Fugitive Operations Team members arrested 28 illegal aliens, including four with criminal convictions. There were 23 men and five women. Twenty were from Guatemala, six from Mexico, and two from El Salvador.

Most of those arrested - 15 - are from Guatemala; eight are from Mexico; one is from El Salvador; and one is from Iran. Eighteen of those arrested are men; seven are women.

During the operation, which concluded yesterday, ICE officers located and arrested 345 immigration violators who were at large in five Southland counties - Los Angeles (194), Orange (43), Riverside/San Bernardino (68), and Ventura (40).

Eleven fugitive operations teams made 225 arrests in: Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, New York, Wisconsin and Missouri. ICE's Detroit Fugitive Operations Team made 85 arrests, including 66 fugitives, and 21 aliens with criminal convictions. The arrests took place throughout Metro Detroit. Those arrested are from the following countries: Albania, Bangladesh, Cuba, El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Iraq, Jamaica, Lebanon, Lithuania, Mexico, Russia, Uzbekistan and Yugoslavia.

Eleven fugitive operations teams made 225 arrests in: New York, Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin and Missouri. Of the 52 aliens arrested by ICE's Buffalo Fugitive Operations Team, 21 were fugitives, and 22 were aliens with criminal convictions. The arrests took place in Binghamton (30 arrests) and Syracuse (22 arrests).