Georgian national wanted in 3 provinces removed by ICE to Canada
YORK, Pa. — A Georgian national and documented Russian mafia associate wanted for crimes committed in Canada was deported by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Tuesday and turned over to Canadian authorities to face criminal charges there.
Alex Alexidze, 41, was repatriated to Canada via ground transportation under ICE escort July 19, from York County Prison and turned over without incident to the custody of the Canada Border Services Agency at the Niagara Falls International Rainbow Bridge.
Provincial authorities in Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario have active warrants for Alexidze’s arrest on multiple charges related to theft, identity fraud, false documentation and other charges, stemming from alleged crimes committed between 2013-2015 — some under the alias Alex Row. ICE confirmed his true identity with Canadian authorities using photos and biometric data.
Alexidze was arrested in May 2015 by ICE in Cleveland and subsequently convicted federally of fraudulent statements and visa fraud, for which he served nine months in prison. In February 2016, ERO officers reinstated a final order of removal against him, paving the way for his repatriation. Following his release from the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Alexidze was held at the York County Prison, while the agency made preparations for his removal.
"The arrest and removal of criminal aliens is ICE’s highest priority," said ERO Philadelphia Field Office Director Thomas Decker. "ICE will continue to work closely with our foreign counterparts to promote public safety and hold international fugitives accountable.”
Since Oct. 1, 2009, ERO has removed more than 1,789 foreign fugitives from the United States who were sought in their native countries for serious crimes, including kidnapping, rape and murder. ERO works with the ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Office of International Operations, foreign consular offices in the United States, and Interpol to identify foreign fugitives illegally present in the United States.
ERO coordinates the removal of criminals, foreign fugitives and others ordered deported. Last year alone, ERO removed 235,413 individuals from the United States. ICE is focused on smart and effective immigration enforcement that prioritizes its resources based on those who pose the biggest threat to national security, border security and public safety. ICE’s civil enforcement efforts are based on priorities set by the Secretary of Homeland Security in November 2014.
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