ERO Los Angeles arrests 38 noncitizens with criminal convictions during a nationwide operation

LOS ANGELES — On Sept. 1, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Los Angeles announced the arrest of 38 noncitizens during a national operation that ran from Aug. 4-25. Officers focused enforcement efforts against priority removable fugitive noncitizens — specifically, those identified as having criminal convictions for crimes including, but not limited to, burglary, domestic violence, driving under the influence, drug distribution or trafficking, sexual abuse or exploitation, or unlawful possession or use of a firearm — as well as noncitizens with an executable final order of removal who have reentered the United States illegally after having been previously removed.

Officers prioritized enforcement actions in accordance with the Guidelines for the Enforcement of Civil Immigration Law issued by Secretary Mayorkas on Sept. 30, 2021, and reinstituted on June 28.

Those arrested include:

• A 44-year-old citizen of Mexico who was convicted by the Superior Court of California in Los Angeles of assault with a deadly weapon, driving under the influence, cruelty toward a child, and hit and run with property damage.
• A 68-year-old citizen of El Salvador who was convicted by the Superior Court of California in Los Angeles of lewd and lascivious acts with a minor.
• A 48-year-old citizen of Mexico who was convicted by the Superior Court of California in Los Angeles of lewd acts with a minor under 14 years old.

ERO officers evaluate individuals 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 can be presented to the U.S. attorney's office. ERO also coordinates with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to evaluate the completion of relevant noncitizen applications.

In fiscal year 2022, ERO arrested 46,396 noncitizens with criminal histories. This group had 198,498 associated charges and convictions, including 21,531 assault offenses, 8,164 sex and sexual assault offenses, 5,554 weapons offenses, 1,501 homicide-related offenses, and 1,114 kidnapping offenses.

As one of ICE's three operational directorates, ERO is the principal federal law enforcement authority in charge of domestic immigration enforcement. ERO's mission is to protect the homeland through the arrest and removal of those who undermine the safety of U.S. communities and the integrity of U.S. immigration laws, and its primary areas of focus are interior enforcement operations, management of the agency's detained and non-detained populations, and repatriation of noncitizens who have received final orders of removal. ERO's workforce consists of more than 7,700 law enforcement and non-law enforcement support personnel across 25 domestic field offices and 208 locations nationwide, 30 overseas postings, and multiple temporary duty travel assignments along the border.

Members of the public can report crime and suspicious activity by calling 866-347-2423 or completing the online tip form. Follow us on X, formerly known as Twitter, @EROLosAngeles, to learn more about ERO Los Angeles' missions and operations.