ICE arrests 28 during 5-day operation targeting criminal aliens, immigration fugitives in northeastern Wisconsin

MILWAUKEE — As part of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) ongoing commitment to prioritizing the removal of criminal aliens and egregious immigration law violators, 28 convicted criminal aliens, immigration fugitives and immigration violators were arrested during a five-day operation in northeastern Wisconsin which ended Tuesday.

This operation was conducted by ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Fugitive Operations teams in Milwaukee.

Of the 28 arrested, 26 had prior convictions for crimes, such as: sexually assaulting a minor, theft, possessing cocaine, domestic abuse, carrying a concealed weapon, battery, criminal trespass and drunken driving. Four of the 28 were immigration fugitives who had been previously ordered to leave the country but failed to depart; all of those are convicted criminals in addition to having outstanding deportation orders. Four of the 28 – also all convicted criminals – had been previously deported and illegally re-entered the United States, which is a felony.

Following is the nationality breakdown of the 27 men and one woman arrested: Mexico (23), Laos (3) and Honduras (2). The arrests were made in the following northeast Wisconsin communities: Appleton (3), Bailey's Harbor (1), Casco (4), Fond de Lac (1), Gillette (1), Green Bay (6), Manitowoc (5), New London (1), Oshkosh (1), Reedsville (1), Sheboygan (2), Two Rivers (1) and Wrightstown (1).

Following are summaries of two individuals arrested during this operation:

• A 25-year-old Laotian national was previously convicted of two counts of sexually assaulting a minor, fleeing an officer and theft. He was arrested Aug. 17 in Oshkosh and is currently in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.
• A 21-year-old Mexican national has an extensive criminal history that includes convictions for carrying a concealed weapon, battery using a dangerous weapon, criminal damage to property, domestic abuse and resisting law enforcement. He was arrested Aug. 21 in Sheboygan and remains in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.

"The results of this targeted enforcement operation underscore ICE's ongoing commitment to strengthening and protecting public safety," said Ricardo Wong, field office director of ERO Chicago. "By focusing our efforts on arresting and removing convicted criminal aliens, we immediately improve the safety of our communities."

These arrests were coordinated with ICE's National Fugitive Operations Program, which is responsible for investigating, locating, arresting and removing at-large criminal aliens and immigration fugitives — aliens who have ignored final orders of deportation handed down by federal immigration courts. ICE's Fugitive Operations teams 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.